lifornia 

lonal 

lity 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


BY 


STUART     STERNE. 


(Published  for  the  Author.) 


F.    B.    PATTERSON, 

61  Liberty  St.,  New  York, 
1874. 


CHILD. 


CONTENTS. 


LET  ALL  THE  WORLD 3 

I  WANDKRED .' 4 

WOULD  THAT 5 

MINE  EYES t; 

THINK  NOT,  0  LOVE 7 

HEART'S  REST y 

I  ASKED 11 

PRAYER 12 

BRIGHT  NOONDAY 13 

THY  HEART 14 

LOVE  ME 15 

GRANT  0  GOD 16 

MY  LOVE 17 

I  KNOW 18 

I  SEE 19 

FULFILLMENT : SO 

DEAD  HOPE 21 

I  AM  BUT  AS 22 

POWER 23 

IT  SEEMS  TO  ME 24 

SUNDAY  MORNING 25 

TENNYSON.             •••  26 


VI  CONTENTS. 

THE  BARD 27 

PROMETHEUS 31 

0  DO  NOT  FORGET 33 

0  FRIEND 34 

"PATIENCE" 35 

NEW  YEAR  1867 36 

1  SAW  THEE 37 

GIVE  ME 38 

BECAUSE  TH\'  LIFE 39 

THE  WINDS 40 

BEFORE  &  AFTER 43 

0  MY  STAR 45 

SHOW  ME  THY  FACE    47 

WOULD  I In 

THE  DUSK :.j 

0  THOU  MY  SOUI 55 

IN  ALL  HEAVEN'S 57 

0  MY  BELOVED 59 

1  DIE 60 

NOT  IN...... 6-1 

O  THOU 63 

WHEN  THE  LONG  ...    65 

LEAVE  ME  NOT 65 

0  LOVE 66 

NOT  LIKE 6S 

"ICH  DEXKE  DEIN" 69 

O  MY  IMMORTAL  LOVE 71 

0  I  BLESS •'• 

0  LOVE...                                                                                                      ...  H> 


CONTEXTS  VII 

O  GREAT  FATHER 77 

SORE  LIFE 79 

LIKE  TO £1 

NO  JARRING 83 

THINK  YOU 84 

SOMEWHERE  BEYOND 86 

O  THAT  SWEET 87 

WHERE  SHOULD  I 88 

FOREVER 88 

SOMEHOW  89 

O  LOVE 90 

'TIS  SWEET 91 

NOT  THE  BLEST 92 

THOU   HAST 93 

O  LOVE 9i 

THE  LYRE  95 

O  MY 96 

NOT  HILL 97 

0  THOU 98 

1  GAZE  UPON 101 

HE  WALKS 102 

SILENCE 103 

WOULD  I 104 

TO 'S  MASK H\5 

NAY  HE  IS 107 

IS  THEN 108 

FAREWELL,  O  LOVE 110 

O  YE : 115 

IT  ALL  WAS  OVER...  Ii6 


VIII  CONTENTS. 

IN  PUKPLE  SPLENDOR  ...............................  118 

"THE  BELLS"  .....  ................................  119 

PEGASUS  ........................   ...............  ]20 

MUSE,  MUSE  ....................................  121 

O,  THE  CONSUMING  .....    ..........................  124 

O  LARK  .,; 


TO 


130 


TO  THE  SAME...       .  .................................  131" 

TO  THE  SAME  ..............................................  132 

I  TURNED  FROM  ............................  ...................  133 

LAY  ME  DOWN  .............................................  136 

STEAL  NOT  IN  ................................................  137 

THROUGH  ALL  .'  ............................................  138 

I  KNOW   THATV.  ................................................  139 

O  COME  TO  ME  ................................................  140 

0  MY  SOUL  ..................................................  141 

1  WOKE..    .,  ...............................  ....................  142 

0  THOU  MY  ..................  ..................................  144 

'•ICH  IHEtf'  ..................................................  146 

DORNROESCHEN  ...............................................  147 

THE  N  UN  ...............  ........................................  148 

THE  DEFORMED  .............................................  150 

LOVE  IS  NOT  ................................................  152 

WOUID  THAT  ................................................  153 

1  KNOW  THAT  ...............................................  1J4 

DWELLING  APART  .........................................  155 

PERCHANCE  THAT  SOMETIME   ..............................  156 

ALONE...  ........  15i 


CONTENTS.  IX 

MARCH  26th  '27,  1 159 

MARCH  26th  '27,  II 160 

MARCH  26th  '27,  III 162 

GIVE  ME  A  FRIEND 164 

TO 165 

TO  THE  SAME 166 

O  JOY 1F,7 

0  SOUL 16« 

TO 170 

TO  THE  SAME 172 

NOT  WHEN 174 

TO  C.  S 175 

1  GALOP 177 

ON  THY 179 

FAREWELL  SWEET. 180 

O  TO  O'ERLEAP 181 

INRI 182 

MOZART  &C 183 

WHERE  SHOULD 186 

CALL  YE 186 

I'M  WEDDED 188 

TO  THE  MUSE 189 

SONG 190 

TO  SADNESS 192 

WHAT  STRANGE 193 

FRIENDS 194 

AY,  LET  MY  SOUL 195 

'S  LAMENT 19" 

NOTIN... 200 


X  CONTENTS. 

YE  GATHER .01 

THE  MUSE  TO  HER  ELECT -02 

THOr  WHO -<J7 

ACROSS  THE ». 209 

I  KNOW  NOT -210 

1  KNOW 211 

\VilAT  PANGS 'Ji:i 

GIVE  .ME 1214 

WHAT  MAY 2Ui 

IS  THEN 217 

CORNELIUS '. 219 


I.  TO  C.  S.  IN  LIFE. 

II.  MISCELLANEOUS. 


To  C.  S.    In  Life. 


jyijET  all  the  wo  rl  proclaim  thy  deeds, 
And  every  clime  thy  fame, 
And  thousand  humble,  lowly  lips 
Grow  prouder  with  thy  name. 

My  tongue  is  mute,  and  utters  not, 
Nor  praise  of  thee,  nor  pride, — 
My  heart  was  long  laid  at  thy  feet, 
I  can  give  naught  beside. — 


«  wandered  on  in  the  desert  of  life, 
Crying  to  Thee,  Lord,  above, 
For  a  drop  of  pure  water  for  my  soul. 
A  word  from  him  I  love ! — 

I  cried  for  a  drop  from  the  fountain  of  love, 
In  passionate  struggle  and  strife, — 
And  Thou  gavest  me  the  shining  pearl  of  fame. 
In  the  burning  desert  of  life! — 


«:    5 


OULD  that  love's  sun  were  set, 
With  it  the  thrill  of  pain,— } 
Would  it  were  set  to  rise 
Never  again! 

Never  again  to  fling 
Glory  o'er  land  and  sea, — 
Leave  me  in  starless  night, 
Wretched  and  free ! — 


riLy£|jINE  eyes  grow  weary,  love, 
When  never  thine  they  meet, 
When  never  set  towards  thee, 
Weary  my  feet ! 

My  hand  grows  weary,  love, 
Toiling  on  quite  alone, 
When  never  clasped  in  love, 
Fast  in  thine  own ! 

My  head  grows  weary,  love, 
When  it  may  never  rest, 
There  where  I  long  to  fly, 
Close  to  thy  breast ! 

My  heart  grows  weary,  love, 
Throbbing  fore'er  in  pain, 
Waiting  thy  answer,  love, 
Ever  in  vain. 


«i  HINK  not,  O  love,  that  I  shall  ever  ask. 
To  be  thy  darling  wife ! 
But  let  my  soul  go  with  thee  evermore, 
On  all  thy  paths  of  life ! 

When  thou  growest  weary  of  the  long,  sharp  road, 
Its  sultry  heat  and  care, 
Then  will  I  lay  my  hand  upon  thy  brow, 
Light  as  a  breath  of  air. 

And  when  thou  wakest  at  the  midnight  hour, 
While  hushed  in  every  sound, 
A  yearning  sense  of  pain  within  thy  heart, 
And  loneliness  around, — 

Then  will  I  like  a  silvery  moonbeam  bright, 
Into  thy  presence  glide, 
Stepping  across  the  floor  witlfnoiseless  tread, 
And  kneel  down  by  thy  side. 


And  whisper  of  the  dreams  of  youthf  ul  clays, 

Of  hope  and  trust  and  strife, 

Of  her  whose  answering  love  should  once  have  been, 

The  glory  of  thy  life. — 

And  there  in  the  dark  silence  of  the  night, 
My  tears  thou  shall  not  see, 
That  her  sweet  shadow  evermore  must  stand, 
Between  thv  heart  and  me ! — 


HEARTS-REST. 


"•viLjY  love  is  one  of  the  great  of  the  land, 
His  deeds  of  valor  sound  far  and  near, 
So  brave  and  noble,  so  good  and  so  true, 
Loving  all  goodness,  knowing  no  fear ! — 
— How  I  sat  and  dreamed  of  the  splendid  feats, 
The  noise  and  clangor  of  battlefields, 
The  waving  banners,  and  shoutings  of  joy, 
The  flashing  sabres,  and  shimmering  shields ! — 

How  well  I  remember  the  summer  eve, 

A  rider  came  to  our  garden-gate, 

A  stately  knight  on  a  noble,  black  steed, 

Weary  and  worn,  for  the  hour  was  late. — 

— "Wilt  give  ine  a  draught  from  the  well?"   he  said, 

With  a  wave  of  hand  and  kindly  eye, — 

A  cup  full  of  water  I  reached  him  up, 

And  near  his  charger  stood  waiting  by. 

And  he  drained  the  cup  at  a  single  breath, 
Then  quickly  handed  it  down  to  me, — 
"I  thank  thee,  good  maiden,"  he  smiling  said, — 
"It  is  Sir  Seaton,  who  thanketh  thee!" 


10 


And  then  he  put  spurs  to  his  proud,  black  steed, 
Nodded  his  head  in  sign  of  goodnight, 
His  white  plume  waved  in  the  rays  of  the  sun, 
Far  down  the  valley  his  scarf  gleamed  bright. 

He  looked  not  behind  him,  but  galoped  away, 

—  My  face  grew  white,  and  my  heart  beat  high,  — 

—  Him  I  dreamed  of  so  long,  had  I  seen?!  — 
Lonely,  O  very  lonely  was  I  !  — 

—  "I  thank  thee,  —  Sir  Seaton,  he  thanketh  thee  !  " 
Over  and  over  to  me  I  said,  — 

A  noble,  great  knight  full  of  fame  is  he, 
And  I  but  an  humble  village-maid  ! 

The  sun  was  set  and  the  nightwind  rose, 
And  yet  I  leaned  at  the  garden  door, 
The  one  that  I  love  by  night  and  by  day, 
I  never  shall  see  him  any  more.  — 
My  love  is  one  of  the  great  of  the  land, 
So  endlessly  far,  and  yet  so  near.— 
And  so  shall  it  be  forever  and  e'er, 
Through  all  the  changes  of  every  year  ! 


«:     11 


«s  asked  the  stars  in  the  dusky  sky, — 
— Shall  it  never  and  never  be  ? — 
— But  the  proud,  cold  stars  made  no  reply, 
And  would  not  answer  me. 

I  asked  in  the  woods  the  great  old  trees, — 
Shall  it  never  and  never  be? — 
—They  shook  their  stately  heads  hi  the  breeze, 
And  would  not  answer  me. 

I  asked  the  river  sweeping  and  bold, — 
Shall  it  never  and  never  be? — 
And  the  waves  unceasing  onward  rolled,. 
And  would  not  answer  me. 

— I  asked  my  sorrowful  heart  in  vain, — 
— Shall  it  never  and  never  be  ? — 
That  only  throbbed  in  passionate  pain. 
And  could  not  answer  me  I — 


12   9 


PRAYER. 

I  have  died  and  rest  at  peace, 
From  earthly  anguish  free, 
Sweet  birds  and  flowers,  then  grant  the  prayer, 
I  now  shall  ask  of  ye ! — 

O  joyous  lark  who  at  bright  morn, 
Dost  fly  the  sky  so  near, 
Warble  his  name  to  the  heavens, 
So  loud  that  I  may  hear ! — 

O  little  bird  who  at  gray  eve, 
Bends  closer  to  mine  ear, 
Whisper  his  name  to  the  grasses, 
So  soft  that  I  may  hear! — 

0  thunders  majestic,  rolling 
In  storm-filled  clouds  o'erhead, 
Repeat  his  name  to  the  mountains, 
Startling  the  echoes  dead ! — 

— O  promise  when  I  rest  at  peace, 

From  earthly  anguish  free, 

Sweet  birds  and  flowers,  to  grant  the  prayer, 

1  now  have  asked  of  ye ! — 


13 


BRIGHT  noonday  kiss  his  noble  brow, 
That  none  more  wisdom  have  than  he, 
T    read  the  secrets  of  the  past, 
And  all  the  thin  gs  that  are  to  be. 

Red  sunset' kiss  his  noble  lips, 
With  gentle  touch,  with  loving  glow, 
That  in  its  light  once  more  he  dreams , 
The  sweetest  dreams  of  long  ago. 

Bright  silver  moonbeam  kiss  his  lumd, 
That  as  in  visions  dim,  he  see 
What  never  shall  be  known  to  him, 
How  well  beloved  he  is  of  me ! 


14    ® 


^J  HY  heart  is  like  the  suri  within  the  sky, 
That  makes  the  whole  world  bright, 
And  as  thoubeam'st  on  all  from  there  on  high, 
So  I  receive  thy  light. — 

Why  should  I  mourn,  that  like  unto  the  rest, 
Thou  also  giv'st  to  me  ? — 
And  yet  I  weep  to  think  that  I  am  blest, 
Like  all  humanity! — 


1.5 


me  as  thou  may'st  love  the  silvery  light, 
Of  some  far,  shimmering  moonbeam  faint  and  small 
That  glides  across  thy  foot  on  summer  night, — 
— O  love,  but  do  not  love  me  not  at  all ! — 

Love  me  as  thou  did'st  love,  a  little  child, 
The  grasses  on  the  meadow  high  and  tall, 
Or  blossoms  in  the  forest,  sweet  and  wild, — 
O  love,  but  do  not  love  me  not  at  all ! — 

Love  me  as  some  faint  music  far  away, 
That  pleasantly  upon  thy  ear  may  fall, 
At  still}'  eve  of  some  long,  weary  day, — 
— O  love  but  do  not  love  me  not  at  all ! — 

Love  me  as  the  swift  shadow  of  the  feet 
Of  her  who  should  have  been  thy  all  in  all, 
As  she  some  other  loved  one  flew  to  meet, — 
— O  love,  but  do  not  love  me  not  at  all ! — 


16   & 


,  O  God!  this  only  grace, 
Once  to  see  my  loved  one's  face, 
Ere  Idle!— 

Let  him  clasp  his  hand  with  mine, 
Let  me  read  his  soul  divine, 
In  his  eye ! 

Once,  O  once  but  let  me  say, 
How  I  loved  him  night  and  day, 
Ere  I  die  !— 

Grant  me  Father  sweet,  but  this, 
That  he  once  my  lips  may  kiss, 
For  good-bye ! — 


17   df- 


love,  my  love  must  perish, 
For  it  is  sin  to  cherish, 
Now  that  thou  lovest  another, 
A  fairer  one  than  I  !— 

I  bless  thee  love,  forever, 
I  can  forget  thee  never, — 
And  since  thou  lovest  another, 
I  must  lie  down  to  die! — 


18 


fesi  know  thy  lips  are  stern  and  proud, 
Because  they  may  not  tender  be, 
The  coldness  in  thy  mournful  eyes, 
Has  told  the  tale  to  me. 

They  never  looked  with  light  of  love, 
On  any  thou  could' st  call  thine  own, 
None  ever  spoke  thy  blessed  name, 
In  low,  melodious  tone. 

No  arms  were  clasped  about  thy  neck. 
No  merry  childlips  pressed  to  thine, 
Thy  heart  has  never  throbbed  with  joy, 
Seeing  home's  firelight  shine. 

The  lifelong  chill  runs  through  thy  veins. 
They  know,  who  at  another's  hearth 
Forever  sit  with  hungering  souls, 
The  lonely  of  the  earth ! 

What  every  beggar  calls  his  own, 
Thy  portion  never  was  to  be, — 
All — grateful  thousands  in  the  dust, 
Kneel  down  and  worship  thce ! — 


19   & 


j-ai  see  the  lonely  grave  shall  be, 
Where  the  branches  murmur  low, 
And  the  winds  are  sighing  morn  and  eve, 
And  whisper  and  come  and  go. 

Even  the  bee  hums  not  so  loud 
And  the  bird  sings  fainter  song, 
And  the  butterfly  scarce  moves  its  wing, 
As  it  softly  floats  along. — 

The  parched,  brown  grass  shall  ne'er  be  green, 
Through  the  solitary  years, 
For  it  is  not  touched  by  loving  hands, 
Nor  watered  by  burning  tears. — 

Hero  and  statesman  are  laid  aside, 
With  the  garb  of  common  clay, 
And  my  sorrow  for  the  lonely  man, 
Is  greater  than  I  can  say ! 


20   9 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


FULFILLMENT. 

^^  when  he  said  he  loved  me    well,  I  heard  the  angels 

sing, 

My  soul  fell  down  to  kiss  his  feet,  my  Master  and  my  King  ! 
O  sweetest  joy  forevermore,  that  words  can  never  tell ! — 
If  I  should  die  now,  Father  mine,  methinks  it    would  be 

well! 

How  shall  lever  smile  again,  when  through  my  blinding 

tears ! 

Appear  in  glorious  rain-bow  tints  all  the  succeeding  years  ? — 
How  shall  I  e'er  know  time  again,  when  round  about  I  see, 
The  shadows  of  all  earthly  things  melt  in  eternity  ? ! — 

With  lips  he  kissed  when  promised  I,  to  be  his  darling  wife, 
How  may  I  ever  speak  again,  the  common  words  of  life? — 
With  eyes  wherein  my  love  hath  shed,  the  lovelight  of  his 

own. 
How  may  I  ever  look  on  aught,  but  God's  eternal  throne? ! — 


21 


DEAD  HOPE. 

EARY,  ah,  very  weary, 
The  hours  unceasing  go ! — 
Like  cloaked  and  hooded  friars, 
With  heads  bent  meek  and  low. — 

Mournful,  ah,  very  mournful, 
Their  dirge  sounds  and  their  song, 
Telling  their  beads,  the  seconds, 
Slowly  they  pass  along. 

Lovely,  ah,  very  lovely, 
The  blighted  form  they  bear ! — 
Death-still,  and  yet  so  life-like, 
In  the  red  sun-sets  flare. — 

Meekly,  ah,  very  meekly 
Her  hands  upon  her  breast ! — 
Our  faded  Hope  they  carry, 
To  her  eternal  rest !— 


22    9 


«  am  but  as  a  broken  reed, 
Beside  the  rushing  river, 
And  at  ray  feet  the  waves  flow  on. 
Forever  and  forever. 

The  purple  clouds  of  evenening-red, 
Are  mirrored  in  the  river, 
The  sun  will  rise,  the  sun  will  set. 
Forever  and  forever. 

The  winter  with  its  icy  winds, 
Binds  up  the  mighty  river, 
The  summers  go,  the  winters  come, 
Forever  aud  forever. 

Through  moon-  and  sunlight,  spring  and  fall, 
Beside  the  rushing  river, 
I  am  but  as  a  broken  reed, 
Forever  and  forever. 


23 


POWER. 

«N  deepest  night  a  spirit  came  to  me, 
Clothed  me  in  robes  of  gold  and  purple  made, 
The  proud  attire  of  kingly  ponoply, 
And  then  in  voice  of  thrilling  grandeur  said, — 

"Go  forth  to  conquer ! — Over  all  the  land, 

And  all  the  world,  spread  freedom  and  the  right, 

For  in  the  hollow  of  thy  single  hand, 

Shall  be  concentred  earth  and  heavenly  might! 

The  destiny  of  empires  shalt  thou  mould, 
The  weal  and  woe  of  millions  make  thine  own, 
O'erturn  the  trembling  monarchies  of  old, 
Of  wrong  and  tyranny  the  hateful  throne ! " — 

But  I  took  off  the  royal  robe  and  crown, 
That  would  have  given  me  empire  far  and  wide, 
The  mighty  jeweled  sceptre  I  laid  down, 
And  falling  at  the  spirit's  feet,  I  cried, — 

"Be  merciful,  O  Spirit ! — give  to  me, 

The  power  of  present  time  and  days  of  yore, 

The  only  glory  of  eternity,— 

To  love  and  be  beloved,  I  crave, — no  more!" 


24   9 


£=T  seems  to  me  life  has  been  so  all  long — 
So  full  of  pain,  and  knowledge  of  the  wrong, 
So  full  of  struggle  and  of  strife  and  fears, — 
Mine  eyes  so  often  filled  with  blinding  tears, 
With  bitterness  my  soul  so  often  sore, 
Yet  raised  so  oft  to  God  with  joy  most  sweet, 
And  strong  with  love  and  hope  so  oft  my  feet, 
— I  wonder  it  should  still  go  on  and  on, 
From  night  to  day,  and  twilight  unto  dawn, 
I  wonder  what  there  still  be  left  to  know, 
Except  the  same  forever  o'er  and  o'er, 
That  I  have  learnt  by  heart  so  long  ago !— 


25 


SUNDAY  MORNING. 


^£2Li  Sundaj"  morning! — O'er  the  fields  of  waving  corn, 
Where  thrush  and  partridge  nestle  in  their  quiet  lair, 
The  sound  of  distant  bells  upon  the  breeze  is  borne, 
And  trembles  softly  through  the  balmy  summer  air.  — 

The  hills  lie  dreaming  in  the  sunshine, — far  away, 
Upon  some  flowery  meadow  sweet,  the  cockerels  crow, 
And  floating  on  the  breeze  of  this  calm,  holy  day, 
Come  memories  to  my  heart  of  long,  of  long  ago ! — 


26 


TENNYSON. 

U?  Poet  great,  O  Poet  free ! 
A  wondrous  wreath  for  thee  I  wrought, 
Of  dew-drops  from  my  soul's  deep  sea, 
And  leaves  and  flowers  of  loving  thought! 

O  Poet  free,  O  Poet  great ! 
Who  through  all  coming  time  shall  live, 
Thou  sitst  in  loftier  pomp  and  state, 
Than  any  that  my  heart  may  givel — 

O  Poet  proud,  to  thee  all  hail ! — 
The  Chaplet  from  my  hand  drops  down, 
— The  honors  to  the  Bard  grow  dim, 
Before  the  Laureate's  greater  crown ! 


2? 


THE  BARD. 


I  O  !   not  in  purple  shall  the  Bard  be  born ; " 
But  in  the  lowly  manger  of  humility, 
About  his  aching  brow  a  crown  of  thorn, 
A  drop  of  heart's-blood  every  word  shall  be.— 

Bitter  as  worm-wood  is  the  cup  of  pain, 
The  world  doth  give,  and  oftentimes  the  word, 
;<O  Father,  let  this  pass  from  me !"  in  vain, 
From  his  pale  lips  in  anguished  tone  is  heard. 

A  second  Saviour  he,  from  commonplace 
Us  to  redeem,  and  crime,  and  other  curse, — 
And  stretching  out  his  arms,  with  upturned  face, 
He  claspeth  to  his  heart  the  Universe. 


TO  JOHN  A.  DOHGAN. 


*    31 


PROMETHEUS. 

^y  great  Prometheus  1— Yea  the  envious  gods, 

Have  chained  thee  to  a  lowly  coach  of  pain, 

Weary  and  everlasting. — where  the  hours 

Are  measured  by  thy  spirit's  agony! — 

— No  sun  the  day  hath,  and  no  stars  the  night 

For  thee,  whose  gaze  is  upward  turned  on  high 

Unto  the  skies,  in  vain  beseeching  prayer, 

For  thee  whose  fettered  hands  are  powerless,  forced 

To  inactivity  more  dread  than  death, 

While  evermore  before  thy  yearning  sight, 

Blazes  the  heavenly  fire ! — 

But  though  I  weep. 
To  see  thee  bound  and  shorn  of  all  thy  strength, 

0  great  Prometheus,  I  the  earthborn  child, 
Envy  the  hopeless  anguish  of  thy  days ! — 
For  in  the  harshness  of  thy  penalty, 

1  know  the  greatness  of  thy  enterprise, 
The  glory  of  thy  thought,  and  O  how  near 
Was  thy  success ! — and  in  thy  weakness  e'en, 
There  is  a  strength  I  crave  !— 


*    32    9 

Prometheus  great ! 

My  mortal  hands  are  free  and  fettered  not, 
And  yet,  and  yet,  O  God,  so  powerless  weak ! — 
To  me  the  sun  shines,  and  the  golden  stars, 
Because  I  may  not  see  the  heavenly  fire ! 
Unto  my  prayers  the  gods  lend  gracious  ear, 
Because  I  may  not  dare  and  do  as  thou ! — 
Prometheus ! — O  immortal  god  sublime ! — 
To  hold  but  for  a  day  thy  matchless  power, 
I  too  would  suffer  through  all  coming  time ! — 


33 


^M^  do  not  forget  us  in  that  far  land, 

Dear  friend,  O  do  not  forget ! — 

There  from  whence  never  a  message  may  come, 

To  tell  thou  lovest  us  yet!— 

— Sometimes  when  fanned  by  those  heavenly  palms, 
That  grow  on  the  blessed  shore, — 
Sometimes  when  quaffing  the  waters  of  life. 
That  flow  there  evermore, — 

Think  of  us  toiling  in  heat  and  in  care, 
On  the  dreary  earth  below, 
How  heavy  of  heart,  how  fainting  of  soul, 
How  weary  of  foot,  we  grow  ! — 

That  we  fight  the  battle  of  life  and  death, 

With  the  foe  still  unsubdued, 

When  thy  soul  shall  know,  through  fill  coming  time, 

The  passionless  rest  of  Boodh  !  — 


^^  Friend  thou  dearest  of  my  soul,  and  is  it  thus  we 

meet  !— 

That  while  I  clasp  thy  hand  in  mine, 
And  while  mine  eyes  look  into  thine, 
The  surging  waves  of  death's  dark  stream  already  wash  thy 

feet?— 

O  are  the  shores  of  life,  sweet  friend,  now  fading  from  thy 

sight?— 

And  while  I  speak  low  words  of  love, 
Are  gathering  round  thee  from  above, 
The  shades  that  flit  across  thy  brow,  of  everlasting  night?— 

Thou  say'st  thou  smilest,  O  my  friend? — through  tears  I 

cannot  see  !— 

— O  thou  the  King,  must  pass  away, 
While  I  the  beggar  kneel  and  pray, 
That  I  might  die,  and  thou  mightst  live,  for  all  humanity! — 


«:    35 


J|j   ATIENCE,  a  little  patience  yet!"— he  said, 
The  sufferer  with  the  meek  and  gentle  eyes, — 
"The  night  will  pass  awny  from  earth  again, 
And  day  will  shine  within  the  far-off  skies. 

— Patience,  a  very  little  patience  yet ! — 
The  spring  with  all  its  flowers  will  come  once  more, 
And  bring  the  song  of  birds  and  murmuring  brooks, 
And  all  the  joys  of  life  I  loved  of  yore ! 

Patience,  a  very  little  patience  yet !"— 
— And  even  while  he  spoke,  his  soul  had  flown, 
Bursting  the  chains  that  bound  it  to  the  earth, 
And  stood  before  God's  everlasting  throne. — 

"Patience, — a  very  little  patience  yet"! — 
— O  friend,  the  teachings  of  thy  dying  breath, 
Wo  find  so  hard  to  beed  since  we  have  seen, 
Thy  heart  divine  stand  still  and  break  in  death! 


36 


NEW  YEAR,  1867. 


the  weary  hours  of  darkness  passed, 
That  bora  another  night,  another  year  away, 
Far  in  the  East  the  dawn  rose  up  at  last, 
That  brought  the  world  another  year,  another  day. 

Thine  eyes  beheld  that  New  Morn's  golden  ray, 
Then  closed  on  earth  forever,  as  there  burst  on  thec 
The  splendors  of  that  everlasting  day, 
Where  dawn  and  night  and  morn  are  one  eternally.  — 

To  thee  in  lonely  hours  God's  spirit  spoke, 
His  shining  garment's  hem  'twas  given  thee  to  embrace, 
Thy  throbbing  heart  in  passionate  yearning  broke, 
To  see  the  glory  of  the  Godhead  face  to  face  !  — 

—  And  so  the  weary  hours  of  dark  are  past, 
That  bore  the  silent  shades  of  death  away  from  thee, 
In  that  New  Morn  dawned  on  the  world  at  last, 
Thy  soul  passed  through  the  Portals  of  Eternity.  — 


37 


ssi  saw  thee  in  my  dreams,  O  friend  ! 
On  weary  death-bed  lying, 
And  could  not  bear  to  think  it  then, 
That  thon,  O  friend,  wert  dying! — 

I  woke,  O  friend,  and  knew  that  thou 
In  lonely  grave  art  lying, — 
How  can  I  bear  the  weight  of  life, 
Remembering  friend  thy,  dying  ?! — 


38 


me  thy  royal  purple,  O  my  King ! 
Which  thou  hast  from  thee  cast, 
For  through  my  beggar-garments,  O  my  King, 
Shivers  the  cutting  blast ! — 

Give  me  thy  gold-starred  diadem,  O  King, 
Which  thou  hast  flung  away, 
For  o'er  my  head  the  winter  sweeps,  O  King, 
And  icy  storm-winds  play!— 

Give  me  thy  jeweled  sceptre,  O  my  King, 

O'er  souls  of  men  to  reign, 

My  hands  though  weak,  will  strengthen,  O  my  King 

Such  power  sublime  to  gain ! — 

The  glory  of  this  little  world,  O  King 

Is  needless  unto  thee, 

O  grant  that  with  thy  earthly  pomp,  O  King, 

A  monarch  I  may  be !— 


39   9 


-••  w*< 

BECAUSE  thy  life  hath  been  so  great, 
We  thought  thy  death  we  might  forget, 
And  that  our  tears  of  vain  regret, 
Would  cease  to  flow  as  time  rolls  on, 
And  that  thy  young  fame's  morning  dawn, 
Would  prove  the  black  cloud's  silver  line. 
Into  our  sorrowing  hearts  to  shine, 
And  cheer  our  sad  lives  desolate! — 

But  as  the  weary  days  go  by, 
And  comes  again  the  joyous  spring, 
With  golden  sun  and  blossoming, 
And  singing  birds,  and  balmy  air, — 
Our  sorrow  seems  too  great  to  bear, 
Our  tears  fall  fast  as  summer-rain, 
That  thou  shalt  never  see  again, 
The  splendors  of  the  earth  and  sky ! — 


40 


Ai  HE  winds  that  moan  about  my  hearth, 
Sweep  o'er  thy  grave,  I  know, 
And  whirl  from  off  the  silent  earth, 
The  shining  flakes  of  snow. — ' 

The  winds  that  moan  thy  grave  above, 
Sweep  o'er  my  spirit  sore, 
And  wake  again  its  ancient  love 
In  all  the  strength  of  yore. — 

The  winds  that  move  my  spirit,  wave 
The  swift  tears  to  mine  eyes, 
Until  above  thy  lonely  grave, 
I  cannot  see  the  skies! — 


rpQ  •*•*•* 

"Nimm  sie  hin  denn  diese  Lieder,"- 
Du,  den  ich  so  sehr  geliebl ! — 


43 


BEFORE  AND   AFTER. 

BEFORE. 


me  not  hence,  my  God, 
Wlifn  the  broad  sunshine  Hes  on  every  field, 
Drawing  the  richest  perfume  from  the  flowers, 
On  which  the  busy  bee  hangs  drowsily, 
Weary  with  noonday  heat  ;— 
But  late  at  night,  when  the  dark  storm-clouds  fly, 
And  the  loud  roaring  thunders  roll  above, 
And  flaming  lightnings  fright  the  timid  world, 
—Then  call  me,  O  my  God  !  — 
For  I  desire  to  go  as  he  has  gone, 
Who  in  the  peace  and  in  the  storms  of  life, 
Was  e'er  the  clearest  refuge  of  my  soul,— 
Not  because  sunshine  makes  the  earth  more  fair, 
And  life  more  sweet,  and  to  yield  up  more  hard,— 
Xot  heaven  itself  were  sweet  where  he  is  not, 
No  path  so  dark,  so  filled  with  shadowy  phantoms, 
With  thorns  below,  with  ghostly  dread  above, 
I  fear  to  walk  it  if  it  leads  to  him.  -- 
—  When  the  loud  roaring  thunders  roll  above. 
Send  then  a  flaming  messenger  for  me, 
Then  call  me,  0  my  Godl  — 
So  had  I  prayed,  knowing  not  often  more, 


44 


Should  I  behold  the  golden  sun-set  tints, 
Touching  the  distant  tints, 

And  while  f'eu  then  the  breath  of  death's  dark  waters 
Crept  upward  to  my  feet.  — 

AFTER. 

The  storm  was  past,  —  the  Lord  hud  heard  my  prayer, 

And  sent  a  flaming  messenger  for  me, 

That  rent  my  spirit  from  its  earthly  ties, 

And  bore  it  unto  unknown  heights  above.— 

All  round  was  night.—  And  like  the  butterfly, 

When  first  his  narrow  cell  is  burst,  comes  forth, 

His  delicate  winglets  trembling  at  each  breath, 

My  soul  went  quivering  forward  through  the  dark, 

Shrinking  and  timid,  and  yet  thrilled  and  glowing 

With  some  blind  joy,  such  as  the  vague  delight 

The  voiceless  presence  of  some  loved  one  gives; 

—  And  I  stood  still  and  asked,  —  "Who  art  thou,  soul, 

That  here  art  near  me  in  the  heavenly  realms, 

Whose  breath  is  like  to  music  in  mine  ears, 

And  like  to  light  to  mine  unseeing  eyes?!"— 

And  close  to  me  a  voice  said:  —  "I  am  he, 

That  in  the  peace  and  in  the  storms  of  life, 

Was  e'er  the  clearest  refuge  of  thy  soul  !"  — 

And  with  a  cry  that  shook  the  darkness  round, 

My  trembling  soul  sprang  forward  to  his  arms, 

And  as  I  felt  his  kiss  upon  my  brow, 

The  night  was  rent  as  with  a  flaming  sword. 

And  in  the  blazing  light  of  Heaven  he  stood, 

Clasping  me  to  his  heart!  —  • 


45 


^y^  my  star  that  shone  on  ever,  shimmering  far  through 

clouds  and  night, 
"When  all  others  wrapped  in  darkness,  long  had  vanished 

out  of  sight ! — 

Thou  my  purple  stripe  of  sunset,  lingering  in  the  dreary 
skies, 

When  the  years  like  some  gray  ocean,  endless  stretched  be 
fore  mine  eyes. — 

Thou  my  palm-grove  in  the  desert,  with  thy  fountains  cool 

and  sweet, 
Giving    evermore    refreshment   in   the  noonday's  burning 

heat 

Thou  my  altar  where  in  worship,  kneeling  1   have  ever 

brought, 
All  my  soul's  most  fragrant  blossoms,  all  the  richest  fruit  of 

thought, 

Thou  my  heart  through  whose  pulsations,  my  own  life-blood 
ebbs  and  flows, — 

Thou  my  sun  round  which  revolving,  my  own  life  to  ra 
diance  grows,— 


— 0,  of  sill  who  gather  round  tliee,  there  where  spring-morns 

ever  shine, 
None  may  bear  thee  such  devotion,  love  thee  with  a  love 

like  mine  I— 

And  I  know  when  I  admitted,  enter  on  eternity, 
Thou  wilt  turn  thee  from  all  others,  come  to  meet  and  wel 
come  me  I— 


4? 


me  thy  face ! — I  have  renounced  for  thee 
All  dreams  of  love  and  earthly  happiness, 
Jealous  Test  for  an  hour  another's  presence, 
Might  make  thine  image  pale  within  the  soul 
That  calls  itself  thine  own  forevermore, 
Through  all  eternity. — Show  me  thy  face, 
O  thou  so  near,  we  clasp  thee  to  our  hearts, 
And  yet  so  distant  that  the  furthest  star, 
In  all  the  immeasurable  heights  of  heaven, 
Is  nearer  to  our  sight ! — Show  me  thy  face, 
Round  which  eternity  has  closed ! — to  us 
Dim,  dark,  impenetrable  night, — to  thee, 
A  glorious,  shining  day. — 

Show  me  thy  face,-- 

Not  such  as  now  it  is  with  heaven's  glad  light 
So  radiant  on  thy  brow,  we  scarce  should  know  it, 
But  such  as  then  it  was,  when  yet  on  earth, 
The  vale  of  tears  and  shadows,  thou  wast  wont 
To  live  and  labor,  and  to  weep  and  suffer, 
As  we  do  now. — When  sometime  thy  soul  too, 
Bleeding  beneath  the  burden  of  its  cross. 
Nigh  fainted  by  the  roadside,  as  do  ours, 
And  yet  arose  again  and  yet  again, 


48 


With  giant-strength,  and  seized  its  cross  once  more, 
And  went  its  onward  way.  —  Show  me  thy  face  !— 
With  all  thy  proud  defiance  of  the  gods, 
With  all  thy  strength  against  the  stings  and  smarts 
And  nameless  pain,  they,  jealous  of  thy  power, 
Sent  thee  in  ceaseless  flood.—  Show  me  thy  face, 
With  all  the  battle  of  life  upon  thy  brow, 
With  all  the  storms  that  vexed  thy  soul  divine, 
Yet  bursting  through  all  shadows  of  the  earth, 
Like  to  a  star  through  clouds  that  wrap  it  round, 
The  godly  light  of  immortality  !  — 
—  Show  me  thy  face  !  — 


49 


— ,,3$  tooUt'  id;  fafj  an  feiner  Ipr, — unb  er  erfennte  an  -.r.einem  23lict  toefj 
®eiftcS  ffinb  icfy  ware. — ©eivife  er  fyiejj'  miet)  nicfyt  hneber  getyen,  id)  biirfte  fort 
unb  fort  im  §aufe  l)cntmttantern,  unb  fo  fcergingcn  bte  3^'t  "n^  ba8  2eben, 
unbjn  feinem  2lntlig  fptegelte  pd)  mir  bte  ganje  iffittt."— 

Sctttna  ».  «rnttn. 


OULD  I  had  lived, 
In  the  long  blessed  years  that  are  no  more, 
And  at  the  dusk, 

Some  golden  summer  eve  come  to  thy  door, 
And  softly  knocked, 
And  thou  hadst  opened,  waiting  silently 
For  me  to  speak. — 

But  I  through  all  the  dark  beholding  thee, 
Uttered  no  word, 

But  gazing  on  thy  face  beloved,  mine  eyes 
Had  grown  like  stars, 

That  shining  pierce  the  shadows  of  the  skies; 
And  seeing  them, 

All  my  semi's  love  undying  hadst  thou  known, 
Too  great  for  speech, 

And  how  my  heart  and  life  arc  all  thine  own, 
Forevermorc. — 


50 


And  thou  hadst  said,  —  "Come  in  !  "  —  >and  bid  me  stay  ; 

"-And  I  had  staid,  — 

But  as  thy  handmaid, 

Through  summer  sun  and  winter's  darker  day, 

Through  many  a  year, 

Spreading  thy  board,  keeping  thy  hearth-fire  bright, 

Joyful  to  know  that  I  made  thee  forget 

Life's  petty  cares, 

That  like  the  meshes  of  a  tangling  net, 

Ere  I  had  come, 

Hampered  thy  spirit  in  its  upAvard  fligh  t.— 

My  sweet  reward, 

—  When  day  was  done,  —  my  heart's  most  deep  delight, 

To  sit  and  list 

To  the  charmed  sounds  thy  hands  drew  from  the  keys, 

As  thy  great  soul, 

Poured  all  its  pain  and  joy  in  melodies, 

And  'neath  the  stars, 

Rose  upward  to  the  Godhead  through  the  night.— 

Or  lie  awake, 

Listening  to  thy  loved  footsteps  o'er  the  floor, 

As  to  and  fro  all  restless  thou  wouldst  pace, 

Hearing  the  tunes, 

That  angel  voices  chanted  to  thee  from  the  akies— 

Or  at  still  eve, 

By  the  calm  lamp-light  sit  and  watch  thy  face, 

The  lights  and  shadows, 

That  o'er  it  moved,  as  some  great  book  of  lore, 

Pilled  all  thy  thought, 


$    51    9 

And  wandering  from  the  page,  perchance  thine  eyes, 

Would  rest  on  me, 

And  unto  thee 

Once  more  my  love  undying  should  be  known, 

Too  great  for  speech, 

And  thou  shouldst  reach 

Thy  hand  to  me,  and  smile !— O  to  thy  door, 

Qpuld  I  have  come, 

In  the  long  blessed  years  that  are  no  more ! — 


*   52  9  : 


i  HE  dusk  had  fallen  when  to  his  house  I  came, 
And  all  was  silent,-  silent  the  dark  stairs, 
Silent  the  room  once  filled  with  melodies, 
Silent  the  stare  that  shone  above  the  roof, — 
The  self-same  stars  on  which  his  gaze  was  fixed, 
— Sometimes  the  light  upon  his  brow  outshining 
Their  fainter  splendor,  sometimes  their  pale  shimmer 
Darkened  by  earth's  deep  shadows  in  his  eyes. — 
— And  slowly  rose  the  moon,  and  traced  for  me 
In  silver  lines  the  course  upon  the  floor, 
Where  he  was  wont  to  pace  and  up  and  down, 
And  showed  the  door-step  over  which  he  passed 
So  many  a  time,  in  the  long  years  gone  by, 
His  heart  afire  and  his  great  soul  aflame, 
With  all  the  joys  of  heaven  and  pains  of  earth, 
And  dark  despair  of  hell, — struggling  for  freedom 
In  godly  sounds,  while  all  the  world  outside 
Was  tossed  by  storms,  perchance,  or  drowsed  in  sunlight, 
And  he  knew  naught,  nor  heard. — 


•ft    53    % 

And  I  knelt  down, 

And  kissed  the  silent  doorstep, — here  perchance, 
Some  mote  of  dust  hallowed  by  his  blest  feet, 
And  happy  in  its  glory,  saved  itself 
To  some  dark  corner,  and  through  all  these  years 
May  yet  be  there,  and  come  and  touch  my  lips! — 
— O  $re  dumb  walls  that  heard  his  every  heart-throb, 
O  ye  mute  stars  that  read  his  deepest  secrets, 
Tell  me  of  him,  of  him  !  —  A  little  while 
Tell  me  of  him,  sweet  stars,  and  I  will  give  ye, 
All  the  long  future  years  that  may  be  mine, — 
— I,  but  a  mortal,  whose  brief  life  is  fleeting, 
To  ye,  whose  lives  are  as  eternity ! — 
Or  unto  thee,  gray,  sorrowful  Time,  I  promise 
All  the  spare  sunlight  it  may  be  will  checker 
Those  future  years,  leaving  them  cold  and  bleak, 
And  thousand-fold  more  bitter  than  fierce  death, 
If  thou  wilt  turn  thee  back  into  the  past 
One  single  instant  and  wilt  give  to  me 
One  hour  of  his  beloved  living  presence  1 — 
— My  heart  has  hungered  for  so  long,  so  long, 
To  once  behold  his  face,  it  faints  today, 
And  will  not  have  its  craving  comforted, 
And  cannot  ever  feed  on  that  starved  hope, 
To  greet  him  once  when  life  has  long  been  done, 
In  that  far  land  of  silence  and  of  shadows, 
On  which  we  enter  through  death's  darksome  portals ! — 
— Now  would  I  see  him,  in  this  very  hour, 


54 


Now  kiss  his  hands,  now  fall  before  his  feet  !  — 
^-But  calmly  do  the  merciless  stars  smile  down, 
On  me,  who  promised  them  my  earthly  years, 
Heedless  and  deaf  to  all  my  passionate  prayers, 
Time's  shadowy  figure  turning  not  her  head, 
Moves  on  and  ever  on,  with  muffled  foot-fall,  — 
And  through  my  soul  thrills  a  swift  pang  of  pain, 
Sharper  than  death  !  — 


«:   55 


Bjj  H)     i. 

^^  thou  my  soul,  my  life,  my  hope,  my  star! — 

Thou  all  that  makes  the  hope  of  heaven  a  joy, 

Thou  all  that  makes  the  burden  of  life  more  light, 

None  yet  have  loved  thee  with  a  love  like  mine, 

A  love  beyond  or  change,  or  time,  or  death, 

And  wide  as  great  eternity  itself! — . 

— A  love  so  tender,  it  would  shelter  thee 

Close  to  my  heart,  like  a  sweet,  trembling  dove, 

— A  love  so  strong,  it  would  do  battle  for  thee, 

Against  the  fiercest  storms  the  gods  may  send ; 

— None  yet  have  known  thee,  as  I  know  thy  soul, 

The  evil  hours  and  heavenly  that  were  thine, 

The  fiends  and  demon's  that  have  oome  to  thee, 

The  angels  with  the  shining  lily-rods, 

The  glimpses  thou  hast  caught  of  heaven  and  hell ! — 

— None  yet  have  fathomed  thee  as  I  have  done, 

O  thou  my  glorious  ocean!— measureless, 

And  boundless,  and  eternal  as  my  love ! — 

None  seen  as  I  the  golden  evening  clouds, 

Shine  on  thy  bosom,  when  the  waves  lay  still. 

Or  the  forked  lightnings  set  their  crests  on  fire, 

When  the  fierce  storm-winds  tossed  them  to  the  skies. 


$   56   & 

None  dived  as  I  into  thy  deepest  depths, 

Whose  night  no  human  eye  has  yet  explored, 

That  neither  moon-  nor  starlight  penetrate, 

Where  but  the  pearl  sheds  feeble  radiance  round ; 

—  O  thou  my  soul,  my  life,  my  hope,  my  star ! — 

What  love  can  equal  mine ! — 

And  yet,  end  yet, — ! 

— I  know  that  wert  thou  with  me  even  here, 

And  I  beheld  the  glory  of  thy  brow, 

On  which  is  set  the  gods  immortal  kiss, 

— And  fell  at  thy  beloved,  blessed  feet, 

With  not  poor  words,  but  only  tears  for  speech, 

— Though  thou  shouldst  raise  me  kindly  in  thine  arms, 

And  clasp  me  for  an  instant  to  thy  heart, 

And  touch,  perchence,  my  forehead  with  thy  lips, — 

— I  yet  should  go  from  out  thy  godly  presence, 

Poorer  than  any  beggar  at  thy  door, 

Hungering  and  thirsting,  with  a  thirst  and  hunger, 

That  rends  my  soul  with  all  the  pangs  of  death ! — 

— Yet  sometime  from  my  yearning  spirit  too, 

Shall  drop  away  the  weary  chains  of  earth, 

And  then  my  soul,  beyond  death's  shadowy  waters, 

Shall  meet  thine  own,  and  know  it  instantly, 

And  our  two  souls,  like  to  a  towering  fire, 

Shall  rush  together  in  a  single  flame, 

And  spire  together  to  the  heavenly  skies ! — 

— And  O  in  that  embrace,  my  life,  my  star, 

Shall  be  contentment  inexpressible! — 


57 


«iN  all  heaven's  perfect  bliss,  hast  thou  forgotten 

This  petty  earth,  with  all  its  weight  of  woe, 

And  us,  who  still  in  twilight  grope  our  way, 

— And  knowest  not  that  a  human  heart  below, 

Throbs  and  nigh  breaks  with  passionate  love  for  thee  ?- 

Or  is  the  blessed  star  on  which  thou  dwelst, 

So  endless  far,  within  the  shining  skies, 

No  word  mine  ear,  no  sign  may  reach  mine  eyes? — 

— For  it  is  I,  O  my  beloved,  whose  heart, 

Throbs  and  nigh  breaks  in  passionate  love  for  thee !— 

— To  tell  me  that  thou  knowest  and  seest  me, 

And  to  my  prayers  wilt  sometime  make  reply? — 

—Or  art  thou  mute  because  in  years  gone  by, 

Ere  thou,  ()  my  beloved,  hadst  come  to  me, 

I  worshipped  others, — wore  the  images 

Of  others,  in  my  heart, — have  bent  my  knee 

At  other  altars,  and  to  other  gods? — 

Prown  not  for  this,  nor  turn  thy  face  away!  — 

— What  them  I  brought,  was  as  the  love  of  those 


$    58    9 

Who  love  the  night,  because  they  know  not  day, 

Worship  the  stars,  because  the  blessed  sun 

Hast  burst  not  on  their  sight ! — To  them  I  gave 

But  the  pale  blossoms  of  an  early  spring, 

A  child's  weak  offerings,  unto  thee  I  bring 

All  the  best  treasures  of  this  deeper  life, 

Every  pulsation  of  a  heart  that  knows 

Of  sunshine  less  than  shade,  of  peace  than  strife, 

The  prayers,  the  tears,  the  yearning  of  a  soul 

Matured  in  suffering,  and  in  grief  grown  strong,— 

All  the  great  love  I  should  have  borne  to  him, 

Whose  steps  I  waited  for  in  vain  so  long, 

Who  should  have  clasped  me  closely  to  his  heart, 

Holding  me  dearor  than  all  else  beside, — 

The  untold  tenderness  that  I  had  shed 

On  some  sweet  child,  whose  little  arms  should  twine, 

About  my  neck,  and  who  should  rest  his  head 

Upon  my  haypy  heart. — All  my  best  life-blood, 

I  pour  like  water  out  before  thy  feet, — 

Have  then  thy  lips  no  single  word  for  me, 

Thy  soul  no  sign  wherewith  my  soul  to  greet, 

Thy  heart  no  throb  wherewith  to  answer  me, — 

When  mine  nigh  breaks  in  passionate  love  for  thee? — 


59 


my  beloved,— God  shall  count  the  years 
Through  which  I  worshipped  thee  with  single  heart, 
And  number  them  alone  in  all  my  life, 
As  I  account  for  naught  the  barren  days 
Wherein  I  knew  thee  not,  and  hold  I  lived  not, 
Before  I  loved  thee  with  a  love  so  great, 
Mine  own  whole  life  grew  as  a  part  of  thine, 
And  I  rejoiced  with  thee  and  wept,  and  measured 
Thy  deepest  thought,  thy  heart's  most  secret  throb,  " 
— Smarted  with  the  sharp  thorns  that  pricked  thy  feet, 
On  thy  rude  earthly  path,  while  from  above 
Heaven's  light  shone  down,— bled  from  the  cruel  steel 
That  two-edged  entered  on  thy  very  soul, — 
And  heard  the  stifled  groan,  of  which  the  world 
Knew  naught  but  in  thy  heavenly  harmonies, — 
— Grew  so  much  one  with  thee,  I  pray  the  gods 
To  send  nor  joy  nor  sorrow  unto  me, — 
Not  love,  remembering  thou  didst  never  hear 
Those  sweetest  names,  that  make  men's  souls  rejoice, 
No  friend  who  is  to  fathom  all  my  heart, 
Remembering  thou  hadst  none, —  no  bliss  or  comfort 
That  came  to  thee  not, — yet  all  pain  and  anguish 

That  thou  hast  known,—  and  I  the  heavy  cross 
Will  seize  and  onward  bear  with  smiling  lips, 

Rememembering  that  it  was  thy  burden  oucel — 


60 


4i  die, 

With  the  consuming  fire, 

The  passionate  desire, 

To  once  behold  his  face ! — 

— And  knew  I  where  to  find  him, 
In  starless  deep  of  night, 
Would  I  rise  up  to  wander, 
Until  the  morning  light, 

And  all  the  day,  till  darkness, 
Fell  over  earth  and  sky, 
And  with  the  night  approaching, 
The  stars  shone  out  on  high, — 

Would  I  go  on  unresting, 
Till  dawn  rose  up  once  more, — 
Seek  him  with  hope  infinite, 
On  earth's  most  distant  shore. — 

And  had  from  earth  he  vanished, 
Then  would  through  heaven's  wide  space, 
From  star  to  star,  I  wander, 
To  once  behold  his  face ! — 


«    61    £ 

— And  then, — 
If  unto  thee  were  given, 
That  sweetest  joy  of  heaven, 
To  once  behold  his  face  ? — 

When  thou  hadst  gazed  upon  him, — 
O  my  poor  soul  what  then  ? — 
— Then  must  thou  die  with  yearning, 
To  see  him  yet  again ! — 

And  yet  again,  and  yet  once  more, 

And  sitting  at  his  feet, 

Ask  to  gaze  on  him  ever, 

To  make  Heaven's  joy  complete! — 

And  shouldst  thou  sit  before  him, — 
O  my  poor  soul,  what  then  ? — 
Then  must  thou  die  with  craving, 
Yet  fuller  bliss  again. — 

That  in  his  arms  upon  his  heart, 

He  fondly  gathered  thee, 

And  clasped  thee  close,  and  held  thee  thus, 

Through  all  eternity ! — 


62 


4i™  OT  in  the  cities  of  men, 
Not  in  a  populous  street, 
Not  in  wood  or  in  glen, 
Nor  where  river  and  ocean  meet, 
Not  in  the  furthermost  clime, 
Not  in  the  valley  of  tears, 
Not  in  the  shadow  of  death, 
'Mid  the  long,  wearisome  years, 
In  the  gray  realms  of  time,— 
Dwelleth  my  blessed  love ! — 

But  in  the  infinite  skies, 
Where  the  sun-tints  fade  away, 
Where  the  morning  stars  arise, 
In  the  land  of  unchanging  day, — 
'Mid  the  heavens  own  harmony, 
Free  from  all  struggle  and  strife, 
Free  from  all  burden  of  earth, 
Living  eternal  life, 
In  the  realms  of  eternity, — • 
Dwelleth  my  blessed  love!  — 


63    & 


^y^  tbou  who  by  all  earth's  deep  pains  art  mine  I 
How  may  my  heart  believe, 
How  may  my  soul  conceive, 
The  measureless  great  joy, 
I  am  to  be, 
Thine  all  in  all!— 

Of  all  the  thousands  that  have  worshipped  thee, 
The  chosen  one, 

To  rest  upon  thy  heart  through  all  eternity  ? ! — 
— Above  the  snow 
Let  a  red  rose  blow, 
From  skies  afar 
Drop  down  a  star,-— 

Let  some  sweet  wonder  tell  me  I  am  thine ! — 
Make  me  content  to  wait 
Through  fading  time  for  that  eternity, 
That  God-sent  day  that  makes  me  one  with  thee  !" 
— And  a  voice  answered  me  from  out  the  skies, — 
— "O  thou,  who  by  all  heaven's  deep  joys  art  mine  ! 
— And  lovest  thou  me, 
With  thy  heart's  every  throb, 
With  thy  soul's  deepest  love, 
Changeless  as  shore  and  sea, 
Boundless  as  heaven  above, — 


«    64    » 

Then  shall  thy  heart  believe, 

Then  shall  thy  soul  conceive, 

The  measureless  great  joy, 

We  are  to  be, 

Unto  each  other  all  in  all, 

But  I  lor  thee, 

And  thou  for  me, 

Forevermore  through  all  eternity ! — 

— Then  shalt  thou  ask, 

Above  the  snow 

No  rose  to  blow, 

From  skies  afar 

To  drop  no  star, 

No  wonder  sweet,  to  tell  thee  thou  art  mine !  :  — 

"Enough,  O  my  beloved!"  I  cried,  "enough! — 

I  do  believe, 

I  do  conceive, 

And  am  content  to  wait, 

Through  fading  time  for  that  eternity, 

That  God-sent  day  that  makes  me  one  with  thee!' 


65 


HEN  the  long  pilgrimage  of  life  is  o'er, 
And  the  dark  river  forded,  and  my  soul 
Rejoicing  climbs  that  other,  golden  shore, 
And  meets  his  soul  rejoicing,  and  I  fall 
Before  his  feet,  and  he  shall  stoop  to  me 
And  raise  me  in  his  arms,  and  to  his  heart 
Clasp  me,  and  hold  me  through  eternity, — 
— O  then,  my  god !  let  from  my  spirit's  sight 
Heaven's  glories  fade,  as  from  my  mortal  eyes 
There  vanished  earth's  sweet  vallies,  streams  and  skies, 
Let  there  oblivion  come,  and  starless  night,— 
For  after  that  there  can  be  nothing  more ! — 


iEAVE  me  not  life,  my  God, ! 
With  this  mad,  all-consuming  love  for  him  !— 
— Send  me  not  death,  my  God ! — 
Lest  dying  I  might  cease  to  think  of  him !— 


66 


W  love!— 

In  all  the  regions  of  the  earth, 

Aught  mortal  eyes  have  ever  seen, 

The  twilight's  gray,  the  dawn's  faint  flush, 

The  morning  and  the  night  between, 

— Where  sun,  or  moon,  or  stars  may  shine,- 

— O  love,  was  ever  love  like  mine  ? — 

A  love  content  to  know,  the  form 

These  empty  arms  had  been  clasped  round, 

Has  crumbled  into  barren  dust 

Long  years,  beneath  the  silent  ground.  — 

Content  to  know,  the  heart  whereon 
To  rest,  had  been  so  measureless  sweet, 
Had  long  been  hushed  in  dreamless  sleep, 
Ere  ever  this  began  its  beat. — 

Content  to  gaze  upon  the  mute, 
Dead  image,  of  thy  face  unknown, — 
The  lips  may  never  more  return, 
The  passionate  pressure  of  mine  own. — 


67 


May  nevermore  unbend  nor  smile, 
Nor  kiss  the  tears  from  out  the  eyes 
Are  strained  in  vain,  and  night  and  day, 
To  read  the  secrets  of  the  skies.  — 

Content  to  feed  on  that  spare  hope, 
That  hungry  vision  incomplete, 
Somewhere  beyond  death's  starless  night, 
We  two  shall  sometime,  sometime  meet,  — 

Sometime  when  life  has  long  been  done, 
We  two  dwell  now  so  far  apart, 
A  voiceless  shadow  thou  and  I, 
Shall  clasp  each  other  heart  to  heart.  — 

—  In  all  the  regions  of  the  earth, 
Aught  mortal  eyes  have  ever  seen, 

The  twilight's  gray,  the  dawn's  faint  flush, 
The  morning  and  the  night  between,  — 

—  Where  sun,  or  moon,  or  stars  may  shine,- 
O  love,  was  ever  love  like  mine?!  —  • 


68    9 


==™  OT  like  the  oak  and  clinging  vine, 
Had  been  our  lives  united, 
If  God  had  so  decreed,  O  love, 
Thy  soul  and  mine  were  plighted ! — 

But  like  two  sturdy  oaks,  O  love, 
And  thou  and  I  together, 
Had  stood  undaunted  side  by  side, 
Through  fair  and  stormy  weather, 

And  laughed  to  scorn  the  tempest's  rage, 
The  lightning's  flare  and  flashing, 
The  howling  winds,  the  pelting  rain, 
The  thunder's  roar  and  crashing, 

And  clasped  each  other  but  more  close, 
Our  branches  interlacing, 
And  held  each  other  but  more  firm, 
Strong  root  with  root  embracing. — 

— Thus  if  the  Lord  had  so  decreed, 
And  thou  and  I  together, 
Had  borne  the  burden  of  life,  O  love, 
Through  fair  and  stormy  weather ! — 


69 


"ICH  DENKE  DEIN." 


S  think  of  thee  and  I  am  not  alone, 

When  the  fresh  morning  bursts  upon  the  earth, 

Filling  my  lonely  room  with  gladsome  light, 

And  woods  and  fields  with  joyous  life  and  mirth, 

And  rising  I  begin  the  task  anew, 

Was  given  on  earth  unto  my  hands  to  do. — 

I  think  of  thee,  and  I  am  not  alone, 
When  the  gray  evening  gathers  o'er  the  earth, 
Filling  my  lonely  room  with  shades  of  night 
And  with  clasped  hands  I  sit  beside  the  hearth, 
And  once  again  the  long  day's  task  is  done, 
Until  another  morn  shall  be  begun. — 

I  think  of  thee,  and  I  am  not  alone, 

In  the  moon's  shimmer,  and  the  sun's  fierce  glow, 

In  summer  days,  and  winter's  chilly  blasts, 

When  brown   leaves   fall,   when  spring-flowers  bud   and 

blow, — 

In  all  the  changes  of  the  passing  years, 
In  joy  and  gladnes,  in  despair  and  tears, 


70 


Thee  will  I  think  of,  and  be  not  alone, 

On  the  dim  path  where  none  may  walk  with  me,  — 

Where  death's  gray  shadows  gather  round  my  sight,- 

—  Through  the  deep  river  only  think  of  thee, 

Whose  eyes,  the  darkness  piercing  from  afar, 

Shall  be  my  beacon-light  and  guiding  star, 

Unto  eternity!  — 


71    9 


^y?   my  immortal  love !— thou  wilt  forgive  me, 

If  sometimes  when  the  burden  of  life  grew  heavy 

To  yet  bear  on  and  onward,  and  my  path 

Lay  through  the  darksome  vale  whose  chilling  fog, 

Clogging  my  feet,  and  rising  to  my  heart, 

Hid  the  sun's  light  from  me,  and  the  sweet  stars, 

And  heaven  and  thou  seemed  so  all  far  away, 

The  weary  wings  of  my  too  feeble  soul, 

Drooped  in  their  flight,  and  fluttered  to  the  earth, 

Ere  they  could  bear  me  to  those  shining  height, 

Where  thy  loved  spirit  waits  my  spirit's  coming  — 

When  the  gray  eve  fell,  and  I  sat  alone, 

And  on  my  cheerless  hearth  the  fire  died  out, — 

— If  sometimes  then,  O  my  immortal  love ! — 

I  hungered  for  some  presence  not  thine  own, 

— Some  living  presence! — some  warm  living  arms, 

To  clasp  me  to  a  living,  throbbing  heart, — 

— A  heart  not  thine, — yet  where  to  rest  were  sweeter, 

Than  have  not  where  to  lay  my  lonely  head, — 

— Some  sunny,  prattling  child,  not  thine  and  mine, 

To  play  about  me, — hungered  for  a  joy 

More  incomplete  than  in  more  golden  hours 


72 


The  measureless  bliss  of  that  sweet  dream  thou  ever, 

Voiceless,  invisible  art  near  me,  —  yet 

A  joy  more  perfect  than  this  solitude  !  -- 

Thou  my  immortal  love  !  thou  my  soul's  comfort, 

Thou  only  One,  thou  all  that  earth  and  heaven 

Hold  of  delights,  —  thou,  wouldst  transform  and  change 

The  darkest  valley  of  deep  hell  itself, 

Into  a  paradise  of  shining  splendors,—!  — 

—  Thou  who  hast  known  the  pangs  of  loneliness, 
The  bitterness  of  a  deserted  heart, 

With  sharper  stings  than  I,  and  hotter  tears, 
Even  as  thy  soul  was  greater  than  is  mine,  — 
Thou  wilt  forgive,  if  in  those  barren  hours, 
When  the  sun's  light  was  hid,  and  the  sweet  stars, 
Behind  the  chilling  fogs  that  wrapped  me  round, 
Thy  shining  image  e'en  paled  and  grew  dim.  — 

—  Thou  wilt  forgive,  —  for  with  the  morn's  new  rising, 
When  the  gray  eve,  and  darker  night  are  done, 
Ever  and  ever  like  a  weary  dove, 

My  heart  flies  back,  and  nestles  in  thy  heart, 
O  my  immortal  love  !  — 


73    @ 


,,(58  ift  unS  eiii  [RoSIem  cuifgebliifit, 

Mitten  tm  SBinter  ! "  Old  Hymn. 


^^y   I  bless  thee,  joyous  winter, 
A  thousand,  thousand  times, 
With  all  thy  blustering  tempests, 
With  all  thy  frost  and  rimes ! — 

For  in  the  stormy  winter, 
There  sprang  above  the  snow, 
A  spring  more  sweet  with  blossoms, 
Than  any  the  earth  did  know ! 

More  golden  with  happy  sunshine, 
More  rich  with  songs  of  bird, 
Than  ever  mine  eyes  did  feast  on, 
Than  ever  my  glad  ears  heard  ! — 


«    74    » 

0  all  in  the  stormy  winter, 
My  true  love  came  to  me, 
My  love  no  more  to  leave  me, 
Through  all  eternity ! — 

— With  all  thy  blustering  tempests, 
With  all  thy  frost  and  rimes, 

1  bless  thee,  O  joyous  winter, 
A  thousand,  thousand  times !— 


$    75 


^?  love ! — what  pitiless,  hard  decree, 
What  blind  inexorable  fate 
Was  it,  that  severed  thee  and  me, 
And  shut  my  heart  from  out  thy  heart, 
And  set  our  lives  so  far  apart, 
'Neath  other  stars,  and  other  climes, 
In  other  lands  and  other  times, — 
— Us,  whose  two  souls  are  one  ? ! — 

Thou  searching  the  all  dim  To-be, 
To  find  the  image  of  thy  dream, — 
— A  dream  perchance  was  like  to  me, — 
— I  gazing  backward  with  hot  tears, 
Upon  the  blissful,  faded  years, 
When  yet  thy  heart  in  life  beat  high, 
The  form  whereon  my  hungry  eye 
E'er  feeds  and  ne'er  has  done ! — 


76 


—  And  thus  some  pitiless,  hard  decree, 
Condemned  to  live,  condemned  to  die, 
In  loneliness  and  thee  and  me, 
Shut  my  heart  out  from  thy  loved  heart, 
Set  our  two  lives  so  far  apart, 
'Neath  other  stars,  and  other  climes, 
In  other  lands,  and  other  times,  — 
Us,  whose  two  souls  are  one  !  — 


^y^  Great  Father ! — Thou  who  rulest,  heaven  and  earth , 

and  sea  and  land, 
Holdst  the  quivering  hearts  of  mortals,  in  the  hollow  of  thy 

hand, — 

Let  mine  own  not  break,  O  Father ! — be  consumed  not  in 

the  fire, 
Is  the  crown  of  every  glory,  is  the  sum  of  all  desire ! — 

In   the   love  no  cloud  can  darken,   no  earth-shadow  ever 

dim, — 
Suffer  not  my  soul  to  perish,  in  the  thirst  unqiienched  for 

him! — 

Him,  whose  image  I  have  worshipped,  for  so  many  faithful 

years, 
In   the  sunshine   and  the   tempest,   in  delight  and  bitter 

tears, — 

For  his  living,  breathing  presence,  for  his  voice,  his  lips,  his 
eyes ! — 

Him,  long  dwells  a  radiant  spirit,  near  Thee  in  the  shining- 
skies  ! — 


Him,  whose  blessed  shadow  sometimes,  with  me  in  an  hour 

divine, 
Folds  me  to  his  heart  in  silence,  presses  his  loved  lips  to 

mine ! — 

Yet  will  vanish  ever,  ever,  stay  but  one  sweet  moment  rare, 
Leaving  me  to  clasp  forever,  weeping  but  the  barren  air ! — 

Let  me  die  not,  O  my  father!  with  the  yearning  that  e'en 

now, 
I  might  feed  these  eyes  forever,  on  the  glory  of  his  brow  ! — 

I  might  lie  at  rest  forever,  on  his  living,  throbbing  heart, 
Where  no  clogging  earthly  fetters,  shall  my  soul  from  his 
soul  part ! — 

Let  me  pray  not  for  the  hastening,  of  that  golden  hour  su 
blime, 

Thou  shalt  send  me,  O  my  Father !  surely  in  Thine  own 
good  time! — ., 

Give  me  yet  to  live  and  suffer,  yet  submit  my  will  to  Thee, 
Yet  to  watch  and  wait  contented,  till  Thy  call  shall  come 
for  me  !— 

Patience,  Father!  in  remembering,  peace  unto  my  thirsting 

soul, 
How   each  eventide  shall   find  me,  nearer  my  immortal 


79 


I3*ORE  life  was  done,  arid  all  earth's  ties  unbound, 
And  my  frail  soul,  set  free, 
Crept  trembling  to  the  shining  Gates  of  Heaven, 
Ignorant  of  its  decree. — 

"My  Godl  and  will  you  suffer  me  to  pass  in, 
To  see  the  face  of  him, 
Whose  presence  shall  make  all  the  ecstasies 
Of  Paradise,  grow  dim  ? — 

I  strove  unceasing  for  immortal  aims, 

In  a  hot,  weary  fight, 

With  the  great  hope  to  render  me  perchance, 

Worthy  of  this  delight  !— 

But  yet  accomplished  but  a  barren  share, 
Of  my  most  full  desire, 
Feeble  performance  ever  coldly  mocked. 
My  heart's  most  ardent  tire! — 


80 


But  I  have  loved  him  with  a  love,  my  God  ! 
That  to  give  him  an  hour  of  sweet  content, 
Had  gladly  yielded  up  the  proudest  joys, 
To  my  pale  earth-life  lent,  — 

That  to  send  him  a  day  of  blissful  peace, 
At  his  dear  feet  had  laid  down  smilingly, 
Unknown,  unseen,  uncheered  by  him,  the  hope 
Of  all  eternity!  — 

Shall  not  the  power  of  love  prove,  O  my  God!- 
Sufficient  in  Thy  sight, 

To  render  me  the  earth-born  child  perchance, 
Worthy  of  this  delight  ?"— 

—  So  in  the  ear  of  the  great  merciful  Judge, 
Cried  my  frail  soul,  set  free, 
And  breathless  at  the  shining  Gates  of  Heaven, 
Awaited  its  decree.  — 

They  opened,  and  a  voice  said:  "Enter  in. 
To  see  the  face  of  him, 
Whose  welcome  shall  make  all  the  ecstasies 
Of  Paradise,  grow  dim  !  " 


81    £ 


to  a  sailor  lost  in  unknown  seas, 
Who,  ignorant  where  to  steer  his  erring  course 
Through  the  wide,  boundless  waste,  unguided  oft 
E'en  by  the  sun,  or  the  pale,  friendly  stars, 
Enduring  untold  hardships  and  great  perils, 
Has  wrestled  with  the  treacherous  winds  and  waves 
Through  fierce,  resistless  storms,  and  sluggish  calms. 
For  many  a  weary  week,  and  now  at  dawn, 
With  the  first  ray  of  light,  at  length  perceives 
Through  the  gray,  rolling  mists  and  dashing  spray. 
The  blue  line  of  a  distant  shore,  and  hears 
From  out  the  must-head,  the  loud  cry  of  ''Land!  "- 
And  with  a  shout  of  joy,  bursts  from  his  soul 
Relieved,  and  grateful  lips,  repeats  and  echoes 
The  welcome  word :  "Land !  Land ! " — a  hundred  times, 

Like  to  the  wanderer,  who  through  desert  sands 

Has  journeyed  far,  a  scorching  sun  above, 

Withers  the  life-blood  in  his  burning  veins, 

Who,  often  mocked  by  visions  beautiful 

Beyond  his  fondest  dreams,  of  springs  and  palmgroves, 

As  he  approaches  melt  and  fade  away 

In  quivering  air,  before  his  hungry  sight, — 

Now,  in  the  fiery  breath  of  noonday  heat. 


Gains  a  green  spot  at  length,  stands  all  unmoved 
As  the  fresh  turf  he  touches,  and  lies  down 
In  the  long  shadow  of  the  trees,  and  rest 
Unspeakable,  steals  o'er  his  aching  limbs, 
—And  drinks  from  out  the  gurgling  spring,  again 
And  yet  again,  and  with  its  limpid  waters 
Drinks  in  new  life,  and  measureless  deep  peace, — 

Like  to  the  warrior,  who  in  distant  parts 

Has  passed  'mid  bloody  fray,  and  clash  of  arms, 

And  many  a  long,  hot  day,  and  wakeful  night, 

And  now  the  noisy  sounds  of  battle  hushed, 

At  length  returning  to  his  native  land, 

At  evening  when  the  sun  is  set, — beholds 

Through  all  the  gathering  twilight's  deepening  tints, 

Through  all  the  dimming  tears  rush  to  his  eyes, 

His  village  rise  behind  the  hill,  he  climbs 

With  trembling  steps,  and  heart  throbs  thick  and  high, 

— And  cheery  lights  gleam  welcoming  throng  the  dusk 

And  one  outshining  all,  and  drawing  near, 

Finds  it  the  ruddy  glow  of  his  own  hearth-fire, — 

— Kneels  down  upon  the  door-step,  thanking  God 

That  this  is  home, — home,  beloved,  thrice— blessed  home. 

— Such  is  my  heart,  O  my  immortal  love, 

Since  that  it  found  thy  heart,  and  bliss  eternal !— 


83 


1  O  jarring  sounds  of  noisy  earth  breaks  in 
Upon  the  Sabbath  stillness  of  our  love, 
But  as  in  the  deep  heart  of  a  great  Temple, 
Through  whose  stained  windows  the  fierce  noon-clay  heat 
Falls  mellowed  into  sunset  from  above, 
Where  the  immortal  strains  of  anthems  rise, 
Arid  the  eternal  lamp  upon  the  altar, 
Stirred  by  no  breath,  spires  ever  to  the  skies, — 
— Against  whose  walls  the  turbulent  tides  of  life, 
The  blasting  tempests  of  black  fate,  do  shake 
And  earth  and  heaven, — all  powerless  chafe  and  break, — 
— Such  is  th  e  peace  divine,  unspeakable, 
Of  our  undying  love,  O  my  beloved  ! — 
A  peace  as  undivided,  all  complete, 
As  those  must  know,  who  the  dark  gulf  o'erpassed, 
Sit  down  rejoicing  at  God's  blessed  feet, — 
A  peace  unruffled  by  aught  palest  fear 
Of  change  or  circumstance,  of  time  or  death, 
There  lives  aught  ill  our  souls  could  ever  part, 
For  that  is  wont  to  sever  heart  from  heart, 
Shall  knit  us  but  more  close,  setting  me  free, 
From  the  last  bar  yet  cuts  me  off  from  thee ! — 


84 


JLi  HINK  you  lie  would  have  loved  me,  hud  he  known  my 

soul, 

At  the  fresh  morn, 

When  first  the  sun  had  risen  in  the  skies, 
And  the  long,  untried  road  lay  filled  with  dew, 
Shimmering  before  our  eyes?— 
—I  had  been  true  and  tender, 
I  had  been  strong  and  great, 
To  live  with  him,  or  die  with  him, 
If  thus  had  willed  our  fate! — 

Think  you  he  would  have  loved  me,  had  he  knowa  my  soul, 

At  the  hot  noon, 

When  the  fierce  sun  hung  burning  in  mid-day, 

And  we  travel-stained  pilgrims,  had  traversed, 

Half  the  long,  dusty  way?  — 

I  had  been  true  and  tender, 

I  had  been  strong  and  great 

To  live  for  him,  or  die  for  him, 

If  thus  had  willed  our  fate! — 


85 


Think  you  he  would  have  loved  me,  had  he  known  my  soul, 

At  the  gray  eve, 

When  towards  its  purple  setting  sank  the  sun, 

And  our  long  journey  on  the  weary  road, 

Was  well  nigh  done  ?  — 

—  I  had  been  true  and  tender, 

I  had  been  strong  and  great, 

To  live  or  die, 

Apart  from  him, 

If  thus  had  willed  our  fate  !  — 


86    9 


SOMEWHERE  beyond  the  confines  of  the  earth. 

Sometime  ere  or  thy  bleeding  heart  or  mine, 

Bore  the  sore  burden  of  the  life  of  earth,— 

— And  thou  and  I  trod  the  bright  paths  together, 

Of  some  fair,  unremembered  Paradise. — 

There  did  thy  soul,  O  love!  sing  unto  mine. 

Its  deepest,  sweetest  song,  its  richest  strain. 

So  now  my  heart,  what  though  it  bleed  beneath 

All  the  sore  burden  of  the  life  of  earth, 

Knows  them  again,  with  silent,  rapturous  tears, 

Knows  them,  familiar  as  its  own  pulsations, 

Familiar  as  shall  be  thy  voice,  thy  presence, 

Thy  kiss  of  greeting,  when  my  soul  meets  thine, 

Somewhere  beyond  the  confines  of  the  enrth ! — 


87    » 


^&y  that  sweet  spring-time  should  be  known . 
But  in  enraptured  dreams  alone ! — 
That  all  its  sunshine  should  have  flown, 
Ere  life's  faint  pulses  stirred  in  me, 
Should  have  been  quenched  forever  more, 
In  a  dark  grave  beyond  the  sea  ! — 

O  that  the  arms  had  clasped  me  round, 
The  heart  wherein  all  bliss  was  bound, 
To  dust  lie  crumbled  underground  ! — 
— The  eyes  with  lovelight  gazed  on  me, 
Are  closed,  to  open  nevermore, 
In  a  dark  grave  beyond  the  sea ! — 

— O  that  all  joy  and  all  delight, 
Vanished  from  earth  with  his  soul's  flight. 
That  less  of  day  is  left  than  night  I — 
That  every  hope  remains  to  me, 
Is  sought  my  own  dark  grave  beyond, 
Is  set  in  dim  Eternity  ! — 


HERE  should  I  fly  to  in  the  storm  and  darkness, 
But  to  thy  heart,  O  uiy  immortal  love ! — 
Where  to  lie  down  for  one  short  hour,  were  sweeter, — 
— The  Lord  have  mercy  on  my  sinf  ul  soul  !— 
Than  sit  at  the  dear  feet  of  God  Himself, 
Through  all  eternity ! — Where  to  lie  down 
Broken  and  sore,  bleeding  and  full  of  wounds, 
Were  sweeter  than  be  healed,  and  to  remember, 
Sweeter  than  to  forget, — where  to  lie  down 
With  the  sharp  consciousness  of  smarting  pain, 
With  all  this  aching  sense  of  life,  were  sweeter 
Than  peace,  and  rest,  and  sleep, — more  sweet  than  death  !  - 


£ki  OREVER  and  forever,— 

In  the  flaming  day, 

In  the  twilight  gray, 

In  the  morning  light, 

In  the  starry  night, — 

Through  all  eternity, 

Mine  eyes  are  set  towards  thee, 

O  my  beloved  ! — 


,  dreaming  of  thee, 
Shall  the  long,  weary  summer  noon, 
"With  a  flaming  sun  in  a  brazen  sky, 
Glide  by  full  soon ! — 

Somehow,  thinking  of  thee, 

Shall  the  long,  chilly  winter  night, 

With  the  shimmering  stars  in  the  far,  cold  sky, 

Pass  out  of  sight. — 

Somehow,  laboring  for  thee, 

Shall  of  all  long  life,  the  years 

With  their  summer  noons,  and  their  winter  nights, 

With  their  storms  and  sunshine,  their  smiles  and  tears, 

Speed  rapidly  away, 

To  the  last,  blessed  day, 

Brings  me  to  thee! — 


90 


^^  love,  O  my  immortal  love! — my  heart, 

Pricked  by  sharp  thorns,  smarting  from  hundred  wounds. 

Quivering  and  bleeding  'neath  the  merciless  stripes 

Wherewith  fierce  fate  does  scourge  it  without  end, — 

Draws  close  to  thine,  O  love !  draws  close  to  thine, 

In  these  bleak,  barren  days  of  dark  misfortune, — 

At  noon  so  without  sun, 

I  hunger  for  dark  night  that  brings  oblivion, 

When  that  perchance  my  soul  communes  with  thine 

Unconsciously,  in  dreams,  leave  in  their  train, 

A  faint  reflection  of  their  passing  glory 

Upon  my  waking  hours,  like  the  dead  light 

A  pallid  suuset  flings  o'er  dreary  skies, — 

— At  night  so  without  stars, 

I  hunger  for  gray  morn,  that  brings  back  memory 

Of  God  and  thee,  thou  my  sole  hope  and  refuge, — 

— Closer  in  this  deep  valley  of  the  shadow, 

Than  on  the  heights  of  peace  and  joy, — so  close, 

Hethinks  I  see  thine  eyes  gaze  into  mine, 

Hear  in  mine  ear  the  whisper  of  thy  voice, 

Feel  on  my  quivering  lips  thy  spirit  kiss !— 


I    91 


«i  IS  sweet  to  sit  and  dream  of  thee,  O  love ! 
At  close  of  day, 

When  overhead  the  sun's  last  purple  glow, 
Flushes  and  fades  away. 

Remembering  how  in  twilight  hours  like  this, 
The  silent  keys, 

Beneath  thy  master  touch  were  wont  to  pour, 
Divinest  melodies. 

Fancying  mine  eager  ears  yet  drink  them  in, 
Though  years  ago 

They  died  upon  the  air,  thy  hands  were  laid 
The  cold,  brown  earth  below. — 

More  sweet  to  watch  the  night  come  with  its  stars. 
And  dream  thine  eyes, 
Were  gazing  kindly  down  into  mine  own, 
From  the  wide,  distant  skies. — 

Most  sweet  to  dream  of  that  deep  starless  night, 
When  by  God's  infinite  grace, 
In  the  new  dawn  shall  burst  upon  that  dark, 
I  shall  behold  thy  face ! — 


92    9 


sai™  OT  the  blest  consciousness  my  heart  throbs  high, 

With  all  of  sweetness,  ever  stirred  men's  souls, 

With  all  of  greatness  lives  beneath  the  sky, — 

Not  the  proud  power  was  granted  unto  ine, — 

— Me,  all  unworthy  of  so  priceless  gift ! — 

To  tell  in  song  delight  and  agony,— 

Not  the  deep  boundless,  all-enduring  love, 

I  bore  thee  long,  unfading  as  the  sun, 

Eternal  as  the  changeless  stars  above, 

— But  the  sharp  grief,  the  Lord  was  pleased  to  send, 
Tlie  tears,  the  smarting  wounds,  and  dark  despair. 
The  bitter  pangs  and  sorrows  without  end, 
Make  me  to  know  the  anguish  thou  hast  known, 
My  soul  to  bleed  as  thine  bled,  — all  my  life 
Joyless,  and  full  of  thorns,  as  was  thine  own, — 
— Fill  me  with  infinite  hope  unspeakable,— 
— O  golden  dream  of  measureless  ecstasy! — 
At  some  far  day  thine  arms  shall  clasp  me  round, 
Thy  heart  shall  love  me,  as  I  worship  thee ! — 


93 


£*i  HOU  hast  gazed  on  me,  love,  withjthy!deep  eyes. 
In  the  calm  stillness  of  the  summer  morn, 
"When  to  unclouded  skies,  the  jubilant  lark 
Rose  over  waving  fields  of  golden  corn. 

With  thy  dear  smile,  love,  hast  thou  looked  on  me, 
In  voiceless  quiet  of  the  winter  night, 
When  upon  wood  and  dale  the  snow  hung  glittering 
Beneath  the  silent  stars'  eternal  light. — 

The  touch  of  thy  blest  lips,  love,  was  on  mine, 

In  the  soft  twilight  of  the  eve  in  spring, 

When  on  the  the  branches  rich  with  starry  blossoms, 

The  birdling  slumbered  'neatli  its  tender  wing, — 

Thou  hast  been  near,  O  my  immortal  love ! 

In  every  hour  of  peace  or  ecstasy, — 

But  when  my  soul  bled  with  aught  cruel  smart, 

Travailed  in  mortal,  speechless  agony, — 

Then  hast  thou  clasped  me  to  thy  living  heart ! — 


94 


^&  love !  and  had  we  met,  and  thou  and  I, 

In  such  an  hour  divine  as  this,  wherein 

Soaring  above  this  frail  mortality, 

All  my  whole  soul  exulting,  trembling  thrills 

With  the  deep  rapture  of  God's  living  presence, 

— Hangs  on  the  stars  eternal,  hearkening  breathless, 

To  the  undying  harmonies  of  Heaven, 

And  yet  my  heart,  in  every  quivering  fibre 

Thirsts  for  the  untasteJ  ecstasies  of  earth, — 

— Our  spirits  leaping  like  swift  fire  to  fire, 

Had  rushed  together  in  one  close  embrace, 

And  been  consumed  in  that  immortal  hour, 

In  the  great  passion  of  that  flaming  kiss ! — 


95    0 


sa  HE  lyre  whereon  I  sang  of  yore, 
All  my  young  heart's  most  secret  prayer, 
Its  yearning  for  love's  rapturous  bliss, 
Its  fondest  hope,  most  dark  despair, 
Each  idle,  childish,  glorious  dream, — 
I've  hung  it  up  beside  the  stream, 
That  hides  in  its  unfathomed  bed, 
All  joys  e'er  knowa,  all  tears  e'er  shed. 

For  greater  purpose  and  desire, 
A  loftier  thought,  a  prouder  aim, 
Now  makes  to  throb  and  glow  and  burn, 
Like  to  a  sacrificial  flame, 
Spires  ever  to  the  skies  above 
Unquenchable,  the  soul,  O  love! 
That  hides  in  its  unfathomed  core, 
Thine  image  blest,  forevermore ! — 


1)6 


I  did  forget  him,  one  hem  (broken  hour, 

The  fever  of  ambition  in  my  vt-ins  :—  old  Play. 


^?   my  immortal  love! — open  thine  arms, 
And  take  me  back  into  thy  blessed  heart, 
From  whence  I  strayed,  fancying  in  vain  conceit, 
The  timid  dove  could  play  the  eagle's  part, 

And  gain  the  steepest  heights  with  power  unbroken, 
And  cleave  unwearied  the  resplendent  skies, 
And  soar  into  the  very  sun  itself,  should  light 
And  guide  me  in  niy  godly  enterprise ! — 

But  found  I  winged  my  way  through  death's  dark  valley, 
No  sun-beam,  no  pale  star-gleam,  in  the  heaven, 
Naught  but  the  lurid  lightning's  fitful  glare, 
And  flying  cloud-shapes,  by  the  storm-wind  driven. — 

And  fluttered  erring,  aimless,  here  and  there, 
My  panting  soul  athirst  for  God  and  tliee, 
Seemed  as  all  distant  'mid  those  trackless  shadows-, 
As  home  and  peace,  joy  and  eternity! — 

— Yet  take  me  back  now,  O  my  love  immortal !  — 
Fold  me  and  hold  me  close  to  thy  loved  breast, — 
The  eaglet  comes,  with  bruised  and  battered  pmions. 
Home  to  thy  heart  for  everlasting  rest  I — 


97 


SONNET. 


OT  hill  nor  dale,  nor  yet  the  boundless  sea, 
Naught  of  the  chances  that  or  near  or  far, 
May  other  lovers  from  each  other  bar, — 
But  life  itself  divides  and  thee  and  me  ! — 
— Life  with  its  thousand  throbbing  pulses, — flow 
And  ebb  of  joy  and  grief,  of  day  and  night, — 
—  O  thee,  basking  in  God's  unfading  light, 
From  me,  that  grope  in  twilight  here  below  ! — 
— Yet  not  divides! — for  they  dwell  not  apart, 
That  freed  fro<n  every  earthly  bond  and  tie, 
Know  but  the  blest  communion  of  the  heart, 
And  even  this  hour  our  souls  are  closer  bound, 
Than  theirs,  who  gazing  rapturous  eye  in  eye, 
In  one  long  kiss  all  heaven's  delight  have  found!- 


^&  thou  Immortal  One! — them  Great,  thou  Godly, 
— Thou  I  have  loved  with  a  mad  love  unanswered, 
Yet  deathless  and  unchanging  as  a  star, 
Through  so  long,  tearful,  dark,  all  joylous  years, 
Thou  art  all  the  whole  world's,— O  \vert  thou  mine, 
But  for  a  fleeting  hour!— mine  own  to  feed 
These  eyes  upon,  till  they  forgot  their  weeping, — 
— These  lips  smiled  at  the  blackest  storms  of  fate, 
This  bleeding  heart  grew  well  of  all  its  wounds, — 
One  fleeting  hour,  O  my  immortal  love ! "-—  — 
— So  cried  I  in  hot  tears,  and  hotter  thirst 
For  him,  my  King,  him  in  whose  single  sight, 
Are  bound  all  deepest  joys  of  earth  and  heaven, 
Once  in  dark,  voiceless  night,  ere  kindly  slumber 
All  merciful,  had  soothed  me  in  his  arms,-— 
When  suddenly  a  spirit  clothed  in  light, 
The  sweetness  of  an  angel  on  his  lips, 
The  greatness  of  a  god  upon  his  brow, 
So  all-compelling  in  his  majesty, 
I  dropped  unwitting  at  his  shining  feet,— 

Burst  on  my  dazzled  vision,  and  thus  spoke: 

-—"He  shall  be  thine! — he  the  beloved  in  heaven, 
The  homaged  on  the  earth !— He  shall  be  thine, 
Kot  for  a  fleeting  hour,  but  for  all  time  1— 


«:    99    @ 

Of  all  the  thousands  worship  at  his  shrine, 
He  shall  perceive  but  thee,  his  spirit  fly 
To  meet  thine  own,  his  heart  throb  close  to  thiue, 
His  soul  draw  from  communion  with  thy  soul, 
Its  highest  thought,  its  noblest  inspiration  ! — 
Thee  shall  he  choose  to  be  his  friend  and  helpmeet, 
His  comforter,  his  love ! — And  soaring  upward 
Beyond  the  earth,  beyond  the  stars,  into 
The  unfathomed  spaces  of  infinity, 
Bear  thee  up  with  him  to  the  Godhead's  face!— 
— But  yet  must  thou  surrender  up  all  hope, 
All  proud  endeavor  of  thine  own,  renounce 
The  gods'  great  gift  to  thee,  the  power  of  song. 
Content  to  be  his  comforter,  his  love, 
To  follow  him  to  those  unmeasured  heights, 
Thy  feebler  spirit  never  scaled  alone, 
To  know  that  he  shall  make  thy  earth-born  heart 
Kindle  into  divinity,  enfolding 
Thee  in  the  blazing  fire  unquenchable 
Of  his  undying  immortality !" — 
— "No  more,  spirit  divine  !"  I  cried,  "no  more! — 
Pour  not  thy  eloquence  in  vain  upon 
My  unmoved  heart ! — 1  am  but  born  of  earth, 
Yet  is  my  soul  immortal  as  his  own,! 
If  godly  not  as  his !— Let  this  hot  heart 
Burst  of  its  yearning  for  him,  this  mad  soul 
Swoon  of  its  thirst  eternal  for  his  sight, — 
Yet  by  the  God  above  us! — not  for  him, 


100 


Not  for  all  blisses  of  his  love,  not  for 

The  boundless  joy  unspeakable,  to  be 

His  friend  and  helpmeet,  comforter  ;md  love, 

May  I  renounce,  Spirit  divine,  what  is 

Sweet  as  his  love,  stronger  than  life  and  death, 

Dear  as  my  soul's  own  immortality,  — 

The  gods'  great  gift  to  me,  the  power  of  song  !  " 

—  And  as  I  cried  it,  fell  upon  my  face, 
Rent  by  an  agony,  as  though  e'en  then 

My  heart  and  soul  were  perishing,  the  tears 
The  blinding  glory  of  the  angel  quenched, 
Bursting  afresh,  in  mad,  resistless  flood.  — 

—  I  heard,  nor  saw  aught  more  —  for  how  long  time 
I  may  not  say,  —  yet  when  I  looked  again, 

The  Spirit  stood  transfigured  to  the  form 
Of  him,  my  King-,  him  in  whose  single  sight 
Are  bound  all  deepest  joys  of  earth  and  heaven,  — 
Him,  for  the  power  of  song  I  had  renounced!  — 

—  With  a  sharp  cry  I  started  to  my  feet, 

My  spirit  quivering  between  life  and  death!  — 

—  But  he  caught  me  unto  his  heart,  exclaiming,  — 
"My  love!—  Mine  own  !  —  Hadst  thou  renounced  me  not, 
Nor  thou  nor  I,  through  all  eternity, 

Had  ever  known  this  moment's  ecstasy  !  "- 


£    101 


«=*  gaze  upon  thine  image,  till  a  mist 

Gathers  before  mine  eyes, 

And  in  my  thrilling  soul  wild  thoughts  and  dreams, 

And  mad  desires  arise. — 

The  yearning  I  might  lay  my  head  but  once, 
Here  on  this  heart  of  thine, 
Those  speechless  lips  unclose,  these  silent  eyes, 
Make  me  but  one  sweet  sign ! — 

But  then  remembering  how  long  years  thy  heart, 
Where  sun  and  wind  and  rain] 
Have  smiled  and  sighed  and  wept  silent  above  it, 
Forever  hushed  has  lain, — 

I  know  that  earth  to  me  has  naught  of  joy, 
Is  stripped  of  all  delight, 

That  not  a  flower  blooms  on  my  path,  whereon 
Fell  not  a  breath  of  blight. — 

Know  that  all  life,  from  sunrise  unto  set, 

Forever n '.ore  must  be, 

One  unquenched  thirst,  one  burning,  ceaseless  yearning, 

One  jnad  desire  for  thee! — 


MMifg  walks  the  earth  no  more,  to  whom  my  knees 

Had  bent  in  reverent  homage  willingly, — 

— My  soul  renouncing  all  its  own  great  hopes, 

Given  itself  undivided,  utterly, 

Content  but  to  be  his,  and  know  him  mine, — 

Whose  eyes  were  stars,  whose  smile  sunshine  to  me. — 

Full  oft  the  sun  has  risen  and  has  set, 
Full  many  silent  years  have  rolled  around, 
Since  that  the  ashes  of  his  crumbled  heart, 
Have  mingled  with  the  kindly,  darksome  ground, 
Since  morn  and  eve  have  wept  their  shining  tears, 
O'er  the  green  turf  upon  his  lonely  mound. — 

— Marvel  ye  then,  I  cherish  no  fond  dreams, 
I  coldly  turn  from  love,  and  love's  delight, 
That  stately  forms  and  noble  faces  pass 
But  like  pale,  voiceless  shadows  in  my  sight, — 
— I  weary  sometimes  of  the  bustling  day, 
Yearu  for  the  stillness  of  the  starry  night? — 


103 


!fis?ILENCE  above  the  moonlit  trees,  lustrous 

Through  all  the  wood's  dark  shades,  with  glistening  dew 

— Above  the  distant  hills  whose  purple  lines 

Blend  with  the  sky's  unfathomable  blue, — 

Above  the  river,  whose  deep,  even  flow 

Unruffled,  scarce  casts  back  one  gleam  of  light, 

— And  silence  in  my  soul,  that  in  this  hour, 

Within  the  voiceless  stillness  of  the  night, 

Rises  above  the  earth  and  soars  away, 

The  stars  above,  the  glimmering  waves  telow, 

To  a  lone,  quiet  grave  beyond  the  sea, 

Where  the  shadows  of  the  ivy  leaves,  that  grow 

At  head  and  foot,  whose  shoots  sprang  up,  perchance, 

From  the  mute,  crumbled  heart  hushed  long  ago, 

Whose  every  throb  was  once  sweet  melody, — 

Sleep  motionless  upon  the  moss-grown  marble, 

And  in  that  shadow  would  most  willingly, 

Fold  up  its  weary  wings,  and  lay  it  down, 

To  rest  and  dream  through  all  eternity. — 


104    @ 


OULD  I  had  been  a  small,  sweet,  tender,  bud, 
Among  the  blossoms  fair  as  shimmering  snow, 
That  mourning  friends  laid  on  that  snnny  day 
In  early  spring,  when  they  bore  thee  away, 
Out  to  the  quiet  grave,  the  hill  below, 
On  thy  de:id  heart ! — 

Glory  enough  and  joy,  and  deep  content, 
For  life  and  death  and  all  eternity, 
To  thus  have  have  rested  for  a  passing  hour, 
What  though  but  as  a  feeble,  fragrant  flower, 
Whose  fleeting  soul  shall  not  tomorrow  see, — 
On  thy  dead  heart ! — 


105 


TO  'S  MASK. 

•£2^1  dead  face,  with,  closed  eyes,  and  lips  firm  set, 

Revealing,  but  yet  shutting  in,  the  groan, 

That  in  the  bitterness  of  the  travail 

Racked  his  proud  soul  so  often,  rose  to  them, — 

Upon  the  cheeks  traces  of  secret  tears, 

Upon  the  lofty  brow  where  life's  fierce  contest, 

And  the  long  course  of  years  carved  not  a  line, 

Marked  not  a  shadow,  the  deep  light  of  that 

Unfading  3routh,  granted  to  the  Immortal, 

Outshone,  not  like  a  star,  pale,  earthly  mists, — 

The  kiss  of  genius  and  of  death  comingled, 

Now  blending  to  unruffled,  perfect  peace. — 

— A  dead  face,  rigid,  hewn  as  from  gray  stone, 

Massive  and  rugged,  like  some  great  cleft  rock, 

O'er  which  the  storm  has  rolled  a  hunred  times, — 

A  face  of  strength  and  of  unbroken  power, 

But  softened  by  no  touch  of  grace,  no  line 

Of  beauty,  save  that  shining  from  within, 

Too  subtle  in  its  essence  to  remold 

The  heavy  clay  to  its  own  glorious  form. — 

— And  yet,  dead  face,  dost  thou  haunt  me  unceasing, 

And  track,  and  follow  me,  and  day  and  night, 

And  draw,  and  charm,  and  bind  me  to  thyself, 

With  so  almighty,  all -resistless  force, 


106 


That  had  I  loved  before,  and  been  beloved, 
And  my  sweet  love  had  been  and  fair  and  stately, 
As  beauteous  as  the  radiant  god  of  day,  — 
And  thy  dark  image  risen  up  before  me, 
Upon  that  happiest  day,  my  wedding  morn,  — 

—  E'en  then  and  there  'mid  sunshine  and  rejoicing, 
I  must  have  turned  away  from  smiles  and  mirth, 
From  light  and  life  and  joy,  to  gaze  on  thee,  — 
To  come  to  thee,  —  to  rest  with  thee  forever,  — 

—  Even  then  and  there,  from  my  love's  loving  heart, 
From  all  my  faith  and  loyalty  to  him, 

Hadst  thou  won  me  to  thee,  to  be  thine  own, 
Through  all  eternity!  —  And  knowing  naught 
Of  other  love  or  lover,  how  may  I 
Tell  in  pale  speech,  of  the  consuming  fire, 
Wherewith  my  soul  feeds  on  thee,  O  dead  face!?— 


107 


SONNET. 


Js>!l  AY,  lie  is  stately  not,  my  love,  nor  fair! — 

—His  eyes  are  blue  not  as  the  vault  of  Heaven, 

The  sun  has  kissed  his  brow  not,  nor  yet  given 

Aught  of  his  shining  radiance  to  his  hair ! — 

— Rather  the  sombre  colors  of  the  night. 

Blend  in  his  image,  in  his  dark  eyes  flit 

No  gleaming  smiles,  and  lowering  storm-clouds  sit 

Upon  the  brow  where  shadow  dwells,  not  light. — • 

• — But  O  he  is  as  fair,  as  fair  to  me, 

As  though  the  god  of  beauty  and  of  grace 

Had  lent  all  charms  unto  his  form  and  face ! — 

For  through  the  storm-clouds  like  a  star  doth  shine. 

Greater  than  sun  or  moon,  his  soul  divine, 

That  I  must  love  through  all  eternity  1 — 


-     10S 


»S  then  love  dead? — My  great  immortal  love?! — 
— Love,  that  was  wont  to  be  the  golden  sun, 
Unto  my  days,  unto  my  night  the  stars, — 
That  thrilled  my  spirit  with  all  ecstasies, 
With  every  pang  of  earth,  and  joy  of  heaven, — 
Taught  me  the  deepest  thought,  the  finest  fancy, 
Was  so  bound  up,  mingled  and  knit,  past  severinir, 
With  every  smallest  act  of  daily  life, 
My  hearts  pulsations  and  my  love  were  one, — 
— Or  wherefore  no  more  at  his  blessed  name, 
Is  my  soul  kindled  as  with  sudden  fire, — 
Hearkens  unmoved  now  to  his  songs  divine, 
Whereof  the  feeblest  note,  the  faintest  sound, 
Melted  it  once  in  speechless,  deep  delight  ? — 
And  my  poor  heart,  deprived  of  the  sweet  warmth 
Each  separate  fibre  glowed  with,  grown  so  dark, 
So  dumb  and  cold,  it  has  not  even  tears, 
Wherewith  to  weep  the  hopeless  fading,— not 
Of  my  beloved, — that  were  lighter  loss! — 
But  of  dear  love  itself? — 
— Is  love  then  dead?— Alas,  I  fear  me  so! — 
For  now  when  every  sense  awakes  anew, 
Each  string  upon  my  lyre  resounds  again, 
But  the  swift  chord,  tender  and  ttrong  in  one, 
Whereon  I  sang  his  praise,  rests  mute  and  silent, 


109 


Vibrates  no  more,  with  aught  of  melody, 

And  dust  and  dimness  gather  o'er  the  shrine, 

In  a  forgotten  corner  of  my  heart, 

That  holds  his  image,  once  so  passing  dear, 

Where  none  comes  now  to  bend  the  knee  in  worship  !  — 

Ay,  is  love  dead  then?—  my  immortal  love,  — 

It,  that  I  deemed,  I  thought,  I  swore  immortal,  — 

Wilted  like  a  frail  blossom  touched  with  frost  ?  — 

—  It,  that  I  fai  cied  should  outlive  the  heavens, 
Endure  past  every  chance  of  change  and  time,  — 
Prove  as  eternal  through  all  circumstance, 

As  my  undying  soul  itself,  —  strengthen, 

And  grow  and  bloom,  beyond  the  grave  itself,  — 

Nay,  catching  but  true  breath  and  flame  of  life, 

From  that  which  we  call  death,  first  know  whole  power, 

And  full  existence  in  eternity  !  ?  — 

—  ()  is  it  dead  then,  and  can  such  love  die?  — 

—  Alas,  alas,  and  is  it  truly  dead  , 

Then  is  there  naught  eternal  nor  unfading, 

Then  wore  it  possible  our  soul  itself, 

Were  frail  and  perishable  and  could  die, 

Were  but  a  finer  essence  of  the  clay, 

Decayed  and  crumbled  with  this  earthly  form,  — 

Alas,  alas,  and  is  it  truly  dead, 

Then  God  have  mercy  on  my  heart  and  soul  !  — 


no  ® 


ik  AREWELL,  O  love!— it  is  the  Lord's  decree, 

We  two  must  severed  be ! — 

— In  all  the  future  years, 

We  two  shall  nevermore, 

Love  as  we  loved  of  yore, 

But  pass  each  other  with  a  silent  smile ! — 

— Yet  can  I  shed  no  tears, 

Nor  moan,  nor  sigh,  to  know, 

Stern  fate  will  have  it  so ! — 

No  other  love  divided  thee  and  me  ! — 

— Nay,  soft  and  painlessly, 

As  swelling  from  its  source, 

A  brook  flows  on  between 

Sweet  banks  of  flowery  green, 

The  slow,  resistless  stream  of  time  alone, 

In  its  all  gentle  course, 

Came  thee  and  me  to  part, 

From  one  another's  heart — 


«;    111    % 

I  thank  thee  love,  for  all  the  blessed  hours, 

This  hapless  love  of  ours, 

Brought  unto  thee  and  me ! — 

The  joys  and  dear  delights, 

Of  starry  days  and  nights, 

Dreaming  of  heaven,  I  rested  on  thy  heart ! — 

— Though  now  I  go  from  thee 

Without  a  sigh,  to  know 

Stern  fate  will  have  it  so ! — 

— And  yet>  and  yet ! — gray  hours  will  come  to  me, 

I  cannot  think  of  thee, 

And  start  not  the  swift  tear, — 

My  heart  is  broken  nigh, 

To  think  our  love  must  die ! — 

— When  I  renounced  all  joys  of  this  glad  day, 

All  hope  of  future  years, 

Were  all  things  as  of  yore, 

I  but  thine  own  once  more! — 


115   9 


SONNET. 


^f'  ye !  the  matchless  sweetness  of  whose  song, 
Has  charmed  King  Death  to  lay  his  purple  down, 
Give  up  his  sceptre,  and  his  shadow y  crown, — 
— Whose  strains  shall  echo  coming  times  along, — 
— In  that  same  world,  by  you  made  great  and  fair, 
I  dare  to  raise  my  voice,  e'en  did  I  know, 
My  fame  should  perish  like  the  winter's  snow, 
My  name,  should  vanish  like  a  breath  of  air! — 
— If  I  am  not  of  the  Elect,  whose  eyes 
May  see  the  splendor  of  the  heavens  afar, 
Whose  soul  may  pass  the  portals  of  the  skies, — 
— Not  on  my  forehead  shines  the  Godhead's  kiss, 
That  on  your  brow  stands  trembling  like  a  star, — 
— Ye  Godly! — O  forgive  me  then  for  this!  — 


116 


all  was  over,  and  the  house  was  still. — 
The  hearse  had  rolled  away,  the  friends  were  gone, 
Their  vacant  seats  looked  blank  and  desolate. — 
— The  muffled  mirror  hung  against  the  wall, 
The  spot  was  empty  where  the  bier  had  stood 
Whereon  he  lay  with  mute  and  smiling  lips. — 
— And  naught  remained  of  him  who  once  had  been 
The  light  of  soul,  the  staff  of  life  to  me 
—Naught  but  the  cross,  that  had  been  left  behind, 
Of  odorless,  white  flowers, — so  dead,  so  dead. — 
And  nothing  now  remained  but  I  alone, 
Alone  to  live  the  long,  long,  joyless  days. — 
And  so  with  weary  feet  I  climbed  the  stair, 
Up  to  the  room  where  he  was  wont  to  sit. — 
— The  silent  books  upon  their  long-rowed  shelves, 
The  fair,  white  marbles  in  their  quiet  niche, 
Beside  his  pen,  a  bunch  of  withered  flowers, 
The  ivy  twining  round  the  window  frame, 
The  noiseless  floor  where  oft  his  feet  had  trod, 

The  motes  of  dust  that  danced  within  the  light, 

All  was  so  dead,  so  dead, — and  nothing  stirred 

Save  at  the  pane  an  idly  buzzing  fly, 

And  in  his  cage  the  blithe  canary-bird, 

That  hopped  and  pecked,  and  wondering  looked  at  me. 


117 


—  The  golden  flecks  of  sunset  on  the  wall, 
Moved  high  and  higher  till  they  touched  his  cage 
With  purple  light,  —  the  little  bird  burst  forth 
In  loud,  rejoicing  song,  and  I  in  tears.  — 


The  morning  sun  was  in  the  room, — I  woke, — 
I  knew  it  was  a  dream, — I  knew  my  life, 
Was  heavier  than  the  burden  of  my  dream, — 
— I  had  not  won,  I  had  not  loved  nor  lost. — 


118 


«iN  purple  splendor  sinks  the  sun, 
Beyond  the  darkening  West, 
I  know  that  when  it  comes  again, 
I  shall  have  gone  to  rest. 

I  mourn  thee  not,  O  fleeting  life, 
To  me  thou  art  not  sweet, 
t  greet,  O  dark-winged  Messenger, 
The  shadow  of  thy  feet! — 

I  prayed  the  Lord  on  High  to,  give 
Or  love  or  death,  to  me, — 
He  flung  the  portals  open  wide, 
Of  dim  eternity!— 

O  loveless  life,  I  love  thee  not, 
Thou  never  couldst  be  sweet, — 
O  haste  thou  dark-winged  Messenger, 
The  coming  of  thy  feet ! — 


«:    119 


SONNET. 

1 

u  HE  bells  are  pealing  o'er  the  snow," 

And  I  without  a  pang  of  pain, 
Think  when  those  bells  shall  peal  again, 
Over  my  grave  the  breeze  will  blow. 
— A  spark  of  that  celestial  fire, 
That  ever  at  God's  throne  shall  burn, 
My  soul  will  soon  to  Him  return, 
Freed  from  the  dross  of  earth  desire.— 
And  life  and  death  to  me  are  one, 
Unmourning  I  shall  pass  away, 
Knowing  that  weary  strife  is  done, 
That  triumph  and  defeat  shall  cease, 
That  after  night  shall  come  the  day, 
And  after  toil,  eternal  peace. — 


120 


PEGASUS. 


«j  HEY  have  harnessed  thee  to  the  plough,  my  steed, 
My  steed  with  the  shining  wings, 
Who  longst  to  soar  in  the  clear,  blue  air, 
Where  the  joyous  skylark  sings ! — 

They  have  harnessed  thee  to  the  plough,  my  steed, 
With  the  oxen  dull  and  slow, 
Who  furrows  the  field  with  patient  tread, 
Where  corn  and  potatoes  grow ! 

They  have  harnessed  thee  to  the  plough,  my  steed, 
Thy  wings  in  the  dust  they  trail, 
And  thou  hangst  thy  liead,  and  sighest  loud, 
And  thy  prancing  foootsteps  fail ! — 

Yet  patience,  but  one  little  hour,  my  steed, 
My  steed  with  the  shining  eyes, 
Ere  long  shalt  thou  burst  thy  earthly  yoke, 
And  soar  to  the  golden  skies ! — 


,  Muse  O  Muse  !— tliou  dearer  thousandfold, 
Than  all  the  joys  of  God's  own  heaven,  more  sweet 
Than  love  or  friend, — though  these  be  loved  so  well, 
All  joys  of  heaven  were  poured  at  their  blessed  feet, — 
Thou  that  dost  turn  the  night  to  radiant  day, 
A.  barren  waste  into  an  Eden,  gay 

With  all  the  splendors  of  undying  summer, 

Have  I  not  ever  loved  thee  faithfully, 

All  my  heart  bound  in  thee, 

Have  I  not  served  thee  e'er  with  bended  knee, 

All  my  soul  given  to  thee, 

Have  I  not  ever  held  thee  sacredly, 

In  the  dim  sanctuary, 

Or  ever  prayed  thee  chant  unto  the  people, 

In  the  loud  market-place? — 

Wherefore,  O  Muse,  shouldst  thou  then  turn  from  me? 

Hiding  thy  godly  face  ? — 


122 


—  Wherefore  my  hands,  were  wont 

To  draw  from  out  my  singing  lyre  full  chords, 

That  fed  my  heart's  desire,  — 

Wake  there  but  scattered  sounds  and  broken  strains, 

Kindle  a  feverish  fire 

Of  yearning  for  the  deep  content  that's  flown?  — 

—  Wherefore  should  now  my  lips,  were  wont  to  pour 
Swift  and  melodiously, 

The  measured  accents  of  my  happy  song, 
Sweet,  if  not  strong, 

That  quenched  the  thirst  of  my  aspiring  soul, 
Feeble  yet  full  of  joy,  — 

—  Find  for  all  utterance  but  slow  stammering  words  ? 

—  Were  it  perchance  my  soul, 

Through  its  long  anguish  were  so  powerful  grown, 

The  lips  and  hands  so  well 

Served  once  that  soul,  may  now  no  longer  tell, 

The  godlike  thoughts  sublime, 

Bear  it  triumphant  beyond  earth  and  time?  — 

—  Were  it  perchance  my  heart, 

Through  its  long  anguish  were  so  seared  and  blighted, 

It  has  no  throb  now  more, 

Wherewith  to  wake  the  sweet  faint  notes  of  yore  ?  — 

Is  this  the  end  O  Muse  ! 

Of  life,  and  all  endeavor  ?  —  for  without 

This  be  the  starless  night, 

No  truce  may  come  in  the  sharp  strife  divine, 

Must  evermore  be  mine, 


«:    123    % 

For  the  performance  of  an  aim  immortal ! — 

Yet  O  if  this  be  death, 

I  do  implore  thee,  Muse !  give  unto  me, 

E'en  with  my  latest  breath, 

Once  more  to  find  a  full,  unbroken  tune, 

Once  more  to  sound  a  strain, 

Shall  thrill  my  fainting  heart  with  ecstasy, 

Once  more  to  smite  my  lyre, 

And  sweet  and  strong, 

And  so  myself  expire, 

On  the  last  note  of  my  immortal  song ! — 


«    124 


^^  the  consuming  fire, 

Of  the  unquenched  desire, 

Makes  life  a  fever,  and  this  heart  a  flame ! — 

— Not  an  unholy  glow. 

Almighty  gods,  ye  know ! 

For  that  pale  shadow,  fleeting,  earthly  fame, 

— But  the  accomplishment,  .- 

Of  some  nndying  aim ! — 

Ye,  that  some  hapless  day, 

Molding  this  mortal  clay, 

Cast  in  one  spark  of  immortality, 

That  rankling  in  the  flood, 

Of  this  swift-pulsing  blood, 

Like  to  some  deadly  poison,  pauselessly 

Frets  me  in  every  hour, 

Steals  joy,  and  peace,  and  power, 

Drives  me  to  wander  as  a  homeless  pilgrim 

Restless  o'er  land  and  sea, 

To  live  nor  die  content, 

To  perish,  nor  to  be, — ! — 


«    125    ® 

Give  me  some  flaming  deed, 

Great  gods !  whereon  to  feed 

This  craving  soul,  wherewith  to  satisfy 

All  the  unquenched  desire, 

Burns  like  consuming  fire ! — 

— A  deed  'twere  great  to  live  for,  or  to  die ! 

A  deed  shall  shed  a  glow, 

On  the  dark  earth  below, 

Like  to  the  track  a  meteor's  blazing  heart, 

Leaves  on  the  nightly  sky ! — 


126 


^^  lark !  that  risest  from  dew-glistening  fields. 

Into  the  cloudless,  sun-filled  morning  sky, 

Lost  in  the  rapture  of  thy  warbling  song, 

— Soaring  so  far  and  high, 

The  earth  with  all  its  towering  hills,  appears 

But  a  green  island,  in  a  wide,  blue  sea, • 

What  are  to  thee, 

The  voices  of  the  children  in  the  meadow, 

That  laugh  and  crow, 

So  deep  below, 

The  feeblest  echo  of  their  loudest  glee, 

Scarce  reaches  thee  ? — 

O  soul !  that  risest  from  the  happy  earth, 
Into  the  boundless  space  of  heaven  on  high, 
Heedless  if  it  be  day  or  darksome  night, — 
— Soaring  to  God  so  nigh, 
The  world  with  all  its  petty  cares,  appears 
But  a  dark  speck  in]a  vast  sea  of  light, — 
— That  with  unruflledciilm  dost  contemplate, 


$    12?    @ 

And  life  and  death,  or  good  or  evil  fate, 
That  knowest  thine  the  peace  unspeakable, 
Where  tears  and  smiles  are  done, 

And  pain  and  joy  as  one, 

What  were  to  thee  the  noisy  voice  of  fame, 
Wherewith  men  chose  perchance  to  herald  thee, 
Through  every  laud  and  clime, — 
Thee,  that  dost  rise  above  and  earth  and  time  V — 


128 


^^  ye,  who  stand  upon  the  heights  of  time, 
Where  with  eternity  it  grows  to  one, — 
Whose  names  are  written  on  the  blazing  skies, 
Outshining  the  pale  splendors  of  the  sun, — 
— O  ye,  the  matchless  sweetness  of  whose  song, 
Has  charmed  King  Death  to  lay  his  sceptre  down, 
Ye  robed  in  purple,  wearing  on  your  brows, 
A  glory  greater  than  aught  earthly  crown, — 
— Stretch  out  your  hands,  give  welcome  unto  me, 
I  too,  Immortal  Ones,  am  one  of  ye ! — 

.My  sinking  too,  shall  with  its  magic  power, 
Burst  opeu  graves,  and  bid  the  dead  to  rise, 
Shall  make  the  dim,  untried  To-be,  reveal 
Its  deepest  tales  to  mine  anointed  eyes, — 
Rouse  the  fierce  battle, — let  its  clangor  cease  — 
Strike  to  the  heart, — bid  pain's  sharp  moan  be  hushed! 
Draw  joyous  laughter,  the  swift-springing  tear, 
As  from  the  smitten  rock  the  waters  gushed ! — 
— I  too  sing  of  all  great  things  'neath  the  sky. 
Of  all  that  makes  it  sweet  to  live  or  die! — 


129 


I  too  shall  shoot  my  arrows  at  the  sun, 
Despairing  not  to  draw  in  purple  flood 
The  life-blood  from  his  flaming  heart  !  —  I  too 
Feel  in  each  vein  heaven's  fires  pulsate  and  glow  , 

—  Me  too  shall  serve  the  powers  of  earth  and  sky, 
To  me  be  subject  heaven  and  sea  and  land,  — 
Nations  be  born,  and  live,  and  pass  away, 
Empires  rise  up  and  die  at  my  command,  —  !  — 

I  too  a  god,  whose  breath  calls  forth  a  world, 

By  whose  swift  hand  the  thunderbolt  is  hurled  !  — 

—  I  too  shall  stand  upon  the  heights  of  time, 
Where  with  eternity  it  grows  to  one, 

My  name  be  written  on  the  blazing  skies, 
Outshining  the  pale  splendors  of  the  sun  !  — 

—  O  ye,  the  matchless  sweetness  of  whose  song, 
Has  charmed  King  Death  to  lay  his  sceptre  down, 

—  Ye  robed  in  purple,  wearing  on  your  brows, 
A  glory  greater  than  aught  earthly  crown,  — 
Stretch  out  your  hands,  give  welcome  unto  me, 

—  I  too,  Immortal  Ones,  am  one  of  ye!  — 


130 


^i  HE  fire  was  left  to  die,  the  chilly  wind 
Swept  through  the  opened  windows  and  the  door, 
And  blew  the  curtains  o'er  the  snowy  sheet, 
That  covered  her,  whose  hand  shall  nevermore. 
So  long  as  all  the  years  of  earth  roll  by, 
Draw  them  aside  to  look  at  sun  or  sky. 


131 


TO  THE  SAME. 


"i  saw  the  snowy  blossoms  on  the  grave, 

In  glaring  noonday  sun,  that  seared  their  leaves 

And  in  the  kindlier  moonlight,  when  their  petals, 

Sparkled  with  dew,  and  when  the  sky  grew  dark 

And  the  fierce  stormwind  rising,  scattered  them, 

And  whirled  their  white  leaves  at  the  threatening  clouds. 

— But  O  to  thee  it  matters  little  now, 

Wliether  the  sun  shines,  or  the  storm-winds  blow, ! — 

Thou  seest  not  the  golden  light  of  day, 

Xor  hear'st  the  loudest  thunder  of  the  skies, 

And  nevermore  shalt  know  the  things  of  earth ! — 

— O  never,  nevermore ! — O  human  heart, 

Thou  never  yet  hast  fathomed  to  its  depths, 

The  burden  of  that  word,  that  in  a  breath 

Compresseth  all  the  agony  of  years,  — 

For  to  conceive  it,  and  to  die  were  one !— 

— Seize  on  me  too,  fierce,  merciless  hurricane, 

Seize  on  me  too,  as  on  a  poor,  frail  leaf, 

And  rend  me  with  the  rushing  of  thy  wings, 

And  scatter  me,  I  care  not  how  nor  where ! — 

I  crave  no  everlasting,  happy  life, 

No  consciousness,  when  this  shall  cease  to  be, 

And  to  forget  the  present  for  an  hour, 

Renounced  all  hope  of  dim  Eternity! — 


132 


TO  THE   SAME. 
SPIRIT  VOICE. 


BsnS  OT  as  a  stranger  from  the  distant  skies, 

Whose  mysteries  no  human  eye  may  read, 

But  as  a  friend,  whose  life  is  one  -with  yours, 

So  am  I  with  you  every  happy  hour!— 

— In  the  glad  morning  when  you  wake  and  rise, 

And  go  about  your  well-accustomed  tasks, — 

Then  am  I  with  you,  all  unseen,  unheard, 

And  lend  you  aid  and  comfort,  my  beloved  ! — 

—  At  the  glad  noontide,  when  you  gather  round 

The  cheerful  board,  there  is  no  empty  seat, 

For  I  am  ever  with  you,  my  beloved, 

And  weep  or  smile,  as  you  are  grave  or  gay. — 

— In  the  glad  evening,  when,  the  curtains  drawn. 

You  all  assemble  round  the  firelit  hearth, — 

I  there  am  with  you,  breathing  in  your  ear, 

Tales  of  the  beauteous  land  unknown  to  you, 

And  kiss  you  on  the  brow,  O  my  beloved, 

Till  you  grow  strong  in  faith,  and  with  sweet  tears 

Embrace,  and  say  that  dreaded  death  is  naught 

But  the  dark  gate  to  Everlasting  Life! — 


133 


I 


A  turned  from  sun-  and  starlight,  and  broad  day, 
And  in  the  dead  of  night  I  came  to  them, 
The  Heavenly  Gates,  and  ever  found  them  closed. 
And  but  a  ray  of  feeble  light,  more  faint 
Than  the  pale  shimmer  of  some  distant  star, 
Came  slanting  through  the  crevice. — 

And  I  knocked, 

With  timid  finger  first, — and  no  one  answered, 
— Then  once  again,  and  louder, — yet  again 
Came  no  response,  and  then  at  length  I  cried : — 
— "Will  ye  not  open,  open  unto  me, 
Ye  Heavenly  Ones? ! — I  ask  not  yet  to  enter 
The  glory  of  your  presence,  but  one  moment, 
One  single  moment,  open  unto  me, 
Give  me  to  gaze  from  far  upon  the  splendor, 
Wherein  you  dwell  through  all  eternity ! — 
One  drop  from  out  the  ocean  of  your  bliss, 
Grant  unto  me,  a  mortal  parched  with  thirst ! — 
— I  turned  away  far  from  my  rugged  path, 
And  came  with  weary  feet  unto  your  Gates, 
And  then  will  go  contented  on  my  way, — 


134 


One  instant,  I  implore,  ye  Heavenly  Ones!"- 

—  And  yet  no  answer,  —  and  eternal  silence 
Reigned  all  around  me,  —  only  through  the  crovice 
I  saw  the  shadow  of  their  blessed  feet 

Move  past  me,  as  they  glided  to  and  fro.  — 

—  "O  in  the  name  of  God,!"  I  cried  once  more, 

—  "Have  pity  upon  me,  a  human  soul, 
Pleading  in  darkness  here  before  your  feet!"  — 

—  Yet  all  in  vain,  in  vain  !  —  And  with  mad  tears, 
I  flung  myself  despairing  on  my  knees, 

And  knocked  upon  the  Gates  till  my  fiail  hands 
Bled  with  the  vain  attempt,  and  I  eNhausted, 
Fell  with  my  face  upon  the  barren  ground, 

—  And  then  a  voice,  —  1  know  not  whence  it  came, 
If  from  the  mortal  darkness  round  about.  — 

Or  from  the  shining  realms  within  the  Gates,  — 

—  Spoke  unto  me,  —  "Rise  up,  and  go  thou  hence  !  — 
Thou  knowest  not  the  desires  of  thine  own  heart  !  — 
—Were  the  Gm<t  Gates  unbarred  but  for  an  instant, 
The  flood  of  light  would  blind  thy  mortal  eyes, 

So  thou  couldst  see  no  more  the  rugged  path, 
Thou  yet  must  travel  for  a  little  while.  — 
The  moon  and  stars,  the  sea,  the  sun,  the  flowers, 
And  all  the  sple.idors  of  the  joyous  earth, 
That  God  has  fitted  for  thy  glad  abode, 
Would  pine  and  wither,  pale  and  be  consumed, 
As  thine  own  soul,  before  the  heavenly  light, 

—  Sometime  the  Gates  will  open  of  themselves, 


135 


And  shine  a  radiant  star  to  guide  tliee  on 
Through  the  dark  night,  that  darkest  night  of  all, 
That  yet  must  gather  round  thy  earthly  sight, 
Ere  thou  mayst  enter  on  she  heavenly  realm ! — 

Rise  up,  and  go  thy  way !  " 

And  I  rose  up, 

And  went  my  way  upon  the  rugged  path, 
T  yet  must  travel  for  a  little  while! — 


136 


me  down  deep  and  lowly,  when  I  die, — 
So  deep,  I  ne'er  may  hear  the  skylark  sing, 
So  deep,  from  my  dead  heart  no  flower  may  spring, 
No  fountain  bubble  up  from  out  mine  eyes, 
From  out  my  lips  no  sorrowful  sigh  arise, 
To  show  him  when  he  passes,  where  I  lie. — 


$    137 


ifs^TEAL  not  in  through  the  casement, 
Thou  rustling  balmy  air. 
Touching  as  I  could  never, 
With  soft  caress  his  hair ! — 

Lie  not  with  all  your  odor, 
Close  to  his  lifeless  breast, 
Ye  dewy  snow-white  blossoms, 
Where  I  was  ne'er  to  rest ! — 

Kiss  not  thou  flood  of  sunlight, 
With  all  thy  golden  shine, 
The  lips  that  dead,  are  smiling, 
To  which  I  ne'er  pressed  mine ! — 

— Ye  loved  him  not  as  I  did, 
What  was  he  unto  ye ! — 
The  while  my  heart  is  breaking, 
For  him  that  loved  not  me ! — 


138 


HROUGH  all  eternity, 
What  is  it  all  to  me!  ?— 

— Springtime  and  summer,  as  they  come  and  go, 
The  roll  of  oceans,  as  they  ebb  and  flow, 
The  heavens,  if  they  send  down  or  smile  or  rain, 
The  sun  that  sets,  only  to  rise  again, 
And  set  once  more,  to  bring  another  dawn, 
The  stars  that  move  forever  on  and  on, — 
So  long  as  his  heart  never  answereth  me, 
So  long  as  his  love  bridges  not  the  sea, 
So  long  as  I  have  read  not  in  his  eyes, 
The  hidden  secrets  of  the  earth  and  skies, — 
Through  all  eternity, 
What  is  it  all  to  me !— 


139 


sai  know  that  sometime,  sometime  we  shall  meet, 
Sometime  shall  cease  all  yearning  and  all  strife, 
Sometime  find  rest  the  weary,  wanderiug  feet. 
Sometime  the  broken  circle  of  my  life, 
By  his  beloved  life  be  made  complete,— 
But  know  not  shall  it  be  or  soon  or  late, 

Or  ere  I  enter  at  the  Shining  Gate, 

— God  give  me  strength  to  be  content  to  wait ! — 


140 


^y^  come  to  me  sweet  love,  sometime  and  soon ! — 

— Not  now  to  bring  me  happiness,  as  once 

It  might  have  been,  before  the  withering  blight 

Fell  on  the  flower  that  turned  so  long  and  vainly 

To  where  it  dreamt  the  golden  sun  would  rise, — 

— O  but  to  teach  me  patience,  patience,  love ! — 

— Patience  to  wait  until  I  too  may  see 

The  Summerland,  for  which  my  weary  heart, 

Has  thirsted,  thirsted,  thirsted  night  and  day, 

Until  it  seemed  my  soul  must  burst  its  bonds, 

In  its  mad  yearning  for  the  shining  realms, 

The  murmuring  of  whose  founts  I  sometimes  hear, 

The  odor  of  whose  flowers  I  sometimes  breathe, 

Whose  cool  sweet  breezes  sometimes  touch  my  brow, 

But  whose  dim  shores  have  never,  never  yet, 

Burst  on  my  straining  sight,  for  all  my  prayers,; — 

— Teach  me  but  this,  O  love ! — I  ask  no  more, — 

But  patience,  patience,  till  I  too  may  see ! — 


*    141 


^U?   u\y  soul  shall  sing  in  seeing,  love-light  flash  from  out 

thine  eyes, 
Like  the  pillar  in  the  desert,  when  the  sun  first  climbs  the 

skies ! 

I  shall  glory  like  the  river,  as  it  floweth  to  the  sea, 
When  thou  first,  my  loved  ocean,  spreadest  out  thine  arms 
to  me ! — 

— But  my  soul  stands  mute  and  silent,  waiting  for  the  sun 

to  rise, 
As  the  pillar  in  the  desert,  when  the  darkness  fills  the  skies. 

And  I  weary  like  the  river,  as  it  creepeth  through  the  sands, 
When  it  floweth  slowly  onward,  over  burning  desert  lands. 

And  I  wonder  night  and  morning,  when  mine  eyes  are  first 

to  see, 
Him  who  shall  be  night  and  morning,  and  the  whole  wide 

world  to  me ! — 


«s  woke  within  the  deepness  of  the  nighl, 

And  saw  a  figure  standing  by  my  side, 

The  form  of  him,  whose  wife  I  am  in  dreams, 

The  gaze  of  his  deep  eyes  fixed  on  my  face, 

As  I  had  often  seen  him  through  long  years.— 

And  knowing  how  it  never  will  be  given  me, 

That  he  may  grow  a  living  shape,— -I  cried, — 

— "O  my  beloved !— by  all  the  happy  hours, 

The  sunshine  of  thy  presence  gave  to  me, 

By  all  the  joyful  visions  that  I  built, 

By  all  the  dreams  I  cherished  ever  vainly, 

By  all  the  hopes  that  vanished  as  the  years, — 

• — I  do  beseech  thee  go  from  me  e'en  now, 

As  thou  dost  love  the  peace  of  all  my  future  !— 

—Go  from  me,  though  thy  shadowy  form  has  been, 

As  the  sole  joy  and  comfort  of  my  life,— 

Go  from  ine,  while  my  bidding  yet  may  be 

A  voluntary  sacrifice  to  God, 

While  yet  I  may  renounce  thee  at  my  will, 

Ere  yet  the  years  shall  rob  me  of  thy  presence, 

Making  sharp  disappointment  doubly  bitter!— 

—For  O  I  know  as  sure  as  death  is  sure, 

Thy  shadow  form  shall  never  grow  to  life, 


143 


And  clasp  me  to  a  living  throbbing  heart  !  — 

—  Go  from  me  then,  to  nevermore  return, 
So  long  as  life  shall  last,  O  my  beloved!"  — 

—  But  yet  he  moved  not,  standing  by  my  side, 
The  gaze  of  his  deep  eyes  fixed  on  my  face, 
As  I  had  often  seen  him  through  long  years. 

—  "And  am  I  then  to  hope,  O  love?"  —  I  cried, 
—"And  is  thy  staying  a  sweet  prophecy, 

That  we  shall  sometime,  sometime  meet,  my  love  ?  — 
—Tell  mel  —  And  when  and  where!?"  — 

He  answered  not, 

But  from  his  lips  there  broke  a  smile  so  sweet, 
II  filled  the  darkness  round  with  beaming  light, 
And  raising  his  right  hand,  he  pointed  out 
Into  the  heavens,  and  through  my  tears  I  saw, 
The  earthly  skies  with  all  their  stars  grow  dim, 
And  stretching  far,  rise  to  my  straining  sight, 
The  shining  shores  of  wide  eternity  1  — 


144 


^?  thou  my  oak  beloved, 
My  proud,  my  noble  tree ! 
How  long  must  yet  I  wander. 
Ere  thy  broad  crown  I  see? — 

The  tall  plants  in  the  forest, 
Stand  fresh,  and  green,  and  bright, 
And  yet  I  seek  thee  only, 

0  thou  my  sole  delight  I — 

The  bird  sings  in  thy  branches, 

1  would  that  I  might  be, 

Or  yet  the  low  brown  fern-leaf. 
That  nestles  at  thy  knee. 

Or  yet  the  tender  leaflet. 
With  blossoms  fair  and  sweet, 
That  with  its  small  arms  clasping, 
Twines  loving  round  thy  feet. 


«:    145    9 

To  watch  the  red  sun  noontide, 
The  silver  stars  by  night, 
Steal  through  thy  whispering  branches, 
O  tliou  my  sole  delight! — 

O  thou  ray  oak  beloved, 
My  proud,  my  noble  tree !  ' 
How  long  must  yet  I  wander, 
Ere  thy  broad  crown  I  see ! — 


*    1  6 


"ICH  DIEN'." 


trill  follow  thee  to  the  battle. 
O'er  long  and  toilsome  way, 
And  carry  thy  shield  and  thy  javelin, 
In  burning-  heat  of  day. 

I  will  kneel  in  thy  tent  at  midnight. 
And  wash  thy  weary  feet, 
I  will  lull  thee  to  sleep  with  stories, 
And  singing  low  and  sweet. 

I  will  lie  and  list  to  thy  breathing, 
Nor  sleep  shall  touch  mine  eyes, 
While  thou  dreamst  of  glory  and  triumph, 
And  stars  shall  fill  the  skies. 

I  will  call  thee  soon  in  the  morning, 
Before  the  early  dawn, 
I  will  bring  thy  sword  and  thy  helmet, 
And  gird  thy  armor  on. 

In  the  bloody  fray  of  the  battle, 
I  shall  not  faint  nor  swerve, 
O  grant  me,  my  love,  but  forever, 
The  priceless  boon, — to  serve  I — 


147 


DORNROESCHEN. 


JaMi.F!R  soul  like  to  the  Princess  was,  of  old, 
That  had  been  slumbering  full  a  hundred  year. 
With  hedge  of  brier  grown  round  the  castle-hold, 
And  purple  flowers  to  hide  each  pointed  spear. 

And  many  a  knight  had  come  from  distant  lands. 
To  win  the  maiden  for  his  beauteous  bride, 
But  all  had  fled  away  with  bleeding  hands, 
And  broken-hearted  for  their  love  had  died. 

For  one  aloue  the  thorn-bush  was  to  part, 
And  let  him  in  without  or  smart  or  strife, 
One  only  was  to  wake  her  dreaming  heart, 
And  kiss  her  lips,  and  give  her  new-born  life. — 

— So  stood  the  flowers,  and  shed  their  perfume  round. 
And  waited  hundred  years  from  day  to  day, 
Till  of  their  breath  no  longer  trace  was  found, 
And  hedge  and  castle  crumbled  to  decay. 


148    » 


THE  NUN. 


«L  HE  day  is  here,  the  night  has  passed  away, 
The  sun  has  risen  now, — 
He  drew  the  veils  from  off  the  purple  hills, 
And  kissed  them  on  the  brow. — 

He  came  with  all  the  splendors  that  he  wore, 
In  thousand  years  of  old, 

He  crowned  the  blushing  earth  his  radiant  queen 
With  flashing  gems  and  gold. — 

Down  in  the  village  there  awakes  again, 
The  busy  hum  of  life, 

But  up  to  me  there  comes  no  faintest  sound, 
Of  human  stir  and  strife. 

For  on  the  cool,  eternal  heights  I  dwell, 
Where  pain  and  death  are  o'er, 
And  all  that  moves  the  hearts  of  men  below. 
Can  touch  my  soul  no  more. 

Sweet  love  to  shine  on  me  from  some  dear  eyes, 
I  never  yeain  to  see, 

Nor  yet  to  feel  a  child's  breath  on  my  lips, 
For  God  is  all  to  me. 


$    149    % 

For  mine  is  all  that  calm  and  rest  divine, 
That  peacefnlness  complete, 
Of  those  who  die,  and  know  the  earth  shall  fade, 
A  shadow  'neath  their  feet. 

For  thousand  times  the  sun  shall  rise  and  set, 
The  sea  roll  on  its  flood, 
And  through  all  change  I  know,  eternally 
I  am  as  one  with  God. — 


150   9 


THE  DEFORMED. 


know  it  all,  I  know  it  well, 
My  lowly  garb  of  earth, 
I  like  to  Cinderella's  gown, 
Who  sat  beside  the  hearth  ! 

The  buds  and  birds,  the  brooks  and  flowers, 
And  every  shimmering  star, 
They  tell  the  joyous,  joyous  tale, 
How  well  beloved  they  are! 

How  well  beloved,  how  truly  loved. 
For  all  their  beauty  rare, — 
But  who  will  e'er  love  me,  love  me, 
Who  never  shall  be  fair? — 

What,  fairy  good,  what  fairy  kind, 
Will  change  me  at  a  breath? — 
— I  know  thee  well,  O  fairy  sweet, 
Thy  homely  name  is  deatU  ! — 


*    151    » 

Some  time,  some  hour  wilt  como  to  me, 
Some  happy,  happy  night, 
And  touch  rne  quick,  and  clothe  me  quick, 
In  shining  robes  of  light ! — 

0  fairy  kiud,  O  fairy  sweet, 

1  wait  beside  the  hearth, 

For  thee  to  come  and  take  it  oft, 
My  lowly  garb  of  earth ! — 


«    152 


•iMoVE  is  not  for  me, 
With  all  its  deep  delight, 
Turning  to  spring  the  winter, 
To  shining  day  the  night! — 

But  great  desires  are  mine, 
And  an  immortal  aim, 
And  mine  perchance,  the  glory, 
Of  an  undying  fame. — 

Mine  is  no  cheery  hearth-fire, 
With  all  its  joys  complete, 
But  mine  a  home  eternal, 
At  God's  beloved  feet !— 


153 


OULD  some  great  passion  came  to  move  my  soul, 
E'en  like  the  storm-wind  shakes  the  forest  tree 
Or  tosses  high  the  billows  of  the  sea, 
To  teach  me  that  I  live  and  have  not  died. 

I  cared  not  whatsoever  then  betide, — 
If  shattered  be  the  tree,  or  when  or  where 
The  waves  be  dashed  and  scattered  into  air, — 
For  I  would  die  to  know  that  still  I  live ! — 


£s  know  that  powerless  is  my  strain, 
And  naught  my  words  forever, 
That  all  my  songs  shall  be  in  vain, 
And  useless  all  endeavor. 

For  there  where  time  and  death  shall  cease, 

Within  the  dim  tomorrow, 

My  spirit  dwells  in  godly  peace, 

And  has  forgotten  sorrow. 

And  what  the  lips  may  speak  of  woes, 
Of  human  joys  and  laughter, 
The  spirit  heedeth  not  which  knows, 
The  calm  of  the  hereaf  ter. 


155 


«=y^  WELLING  apart  through  the  long  silent  years, 
I  know  that  I  have  sung  a  deeper  song, 
Than  all  who  chanting  in  the  market-place, 
Draw  round  about  an  eager,  gaping  throng, 
Too  easily  moved  to  laughter  or  to  tears. — 

No  noisy  praise,  no  triumph  or  applause, 
Broke  in  an  hour  upon  the  peace  divine 
Of  my  communion  with  the  great  Beyond, 
Won  me  a  single  instant  to  decline 
From  the  pursuit  of  my  immortal  cause. — • 

What  though  no  tongue  shall  ever  sound  my  name, 
On  my  forgotten  grave  no  b-iy  be  grown?-— 
—The  knowledge  I  have  sung  that  deeper  song. 
Unheard,  uncherished,  save  by  God  alone, 
Were  sweetest  joy,  and  most  undying  fame. — 


150 


«T  ERCHANCE  that  sometime,  when  the  eloquent  lips 

Now  sing  so  passionate  song,  have  long  grown  cold, 

And  the  cheeks  white ,  and  the  hot  heart  stands  still, — 

Perchance  then  sometime  shall  the  selfsame  strains 

Die  now  unheard  upon  the  winds  of  heaven, 

Make  other  hearts  throb  high,  and  young  cheeks  flush, 

And  lips  flow  over  with  the  praise  of  him 

Whose  life-blood  pulses  in  them. — Then  perchance, 

When  that  the  eyes  that  glory  most  had  gladdened, 

Have  long  lain  covered  o'er  with  blinding  dust, — 

His  name  be  blazoned  in  full  noonday  glory, 

And  hailed  with  loud  acclaim  by  all  the  nations,    . 

And  so  be  known  at  length  the  patient  toil. 

Of  those  long,  silent,  unrewarded  years. — 


«:    157 


ALONE. 


i-Z'ISE  up  my  soul,  and  gird  thee  round  with  strength, 

A  strength  unbending,  merciless  and  hard, 

Like  tempered  steel! — a  strength  dare  flag  and  faint  not, 

Howsoe'er  fierce  the  sun,  how  mad  the  storms 

Shall  vex  unceasing  the  long,  thorny  path, 

Thou,  O  my  soul,  must  travel! — For  alone, 

Alone  as  a  proud,  desolate  tree,  that  rears 

Its  towering  head  to  the  wide  heavens,  implanted 

On  a  bleak  rock,  drawing  with  painful  toil 

From  a  hard  soil  too  barren  to  bring  forth 

Aught  friends  or  brothers  round  him,  nourishment 

Sufficient  to  sustain  his  mighty  heart. — 

— Alone  as  the  bold  eagle,  winging  sunward 

Unto  the  flaming  King  of  Day,  through  heights 

Unfathomed,  his  swift  flight, — perceiving  'neath  him, 

But  bare,  brown  rocks,  or  endless  fields  of  snow, 

Cut  sharply  'gainst  the  skies'  unclouded  blue, — 

Alone  as  they  who  die,  and  see  the  sun-light 

Fade  from  the  flashing  river,  and  the  love-light 

In  dear  eyes  pale,  through  their  own  dimming  sight, 

And  with  their  feeble,  broken  hearts  travailing 


153 


In  the  last  pangs  of  earth,  their  souls  grappling 
With  the  first  agonies  of  sudden  freedom, 
Ignorant  if  the  gray  shadows  that  enfold  them, 
Be  the  last  twilight  of  this  fleeting  world, 
Or  the  first  dawn  uncertain,  of  another,— 
Do  trembling  grope  their  passage  through  the  dark,— 
Must  them,  O  soul,  fight  the  sore  fight!—  unchcered, 
Unhelped,  yet  never  weary,  to  the  end  !  — 

—  O  soul  forsaken,  whose  hard  lot  was  cast, 

In  an  ill  time,  that  bears  nor  flower  nor  fruit  !— 

—  Yet  rise,  O  soul,  and  gird  thee  round  with  strength  !- 

—  Take  heart  and  comfort,  O  my  soul  !—  perchance 
That  from  the  bosom  of  the  tearful  night, 

The  mortal  struggle,  is  thy  portion  now,  — 
There  shall  be  born  the  crimson  morn  divine 
Of  a  new,  glorious  day,  —  the  shining  dawn 
Of  that  more  happy  age,  that  fuller  life, 
The  thirsting  world  has  waited  for  so  long!  — 


159    £ 


MARCH  26th,  07.  I. 

>=kj  HE  chords  are  rent,  the  golde  n  lyre  is  broken, 
Whereon  lie  smote  with  so  supernal  might, 
Power  so  all  tender,  sweetness  so  all  strong, 
The  boundless  ocean  held  its  seething  breath, 
The  eternal  stars  stood  still  in  deep  of  night, 
To  listen  to  his  song ! — 

The  song  he  sang  in  so  most  witching  strain, 

Of  so  immortal,  godly  majesty, 

Our  hearts  suspended  hung  'twixt  smiles  and  tears, 

Anguish  and  blissfulness,  delight  and  pain, 

In  speechless  ecstasy !— 

— The  chords  are  rent,  the  golden  lyre  is  broken — 

— Upon  the  barren  shore  disconsolate, 

The  boundless  ocean  murmurs  ceaselessly, 

The  eternal  stars  move  on  through  the  wide  heavens,' 

And  our  own  hearts,  remembering  it,  vibrate 

In  death's  sharp  agony!  — 


160 


MARCH  26th,  27.  II. 


''0  how  must  the  earth  have  sorrowed,  and  the 
heavens  rejoiced  when  his  soul  took  wing!  " —          Old  Story. 


•S^EMEMBEREST  thou,  O  earth  I 

How  an  immortal  heart, 

— This  day,  long  years  ago, — 

Cast  off  its  mortal  part, 

Broke  at  death's  icy  touch, — 

And  hid'st  'neath  wintry  snow, 

Thy  bursting  buds  in  sorrow  ? — 

Kememberest  thou,  O  sun ! 
How  a  deep,  patient  eye, 
— This  day,  long  years  ago, — 
Turned  upward  to  the  sky, 
Was  quenched  forevermore, — 
And  veil'st  thy  noonday  glow, 
'Neath  stormy  clouds  in  sorrow? — 


%    161    & 

— Ye,  O  great  heavens,  remember, 
How  an  immortal  soul, — 
— Tliis  day,  long  years  ago, — 
'Mid  the  fierce  tempests  roll, 
Passed  through  your  shining  gates, 
Undying  life  to  know, 
In  God's  eternity ! — 
And  let  the  noonday  sun, 
Burst  through  your  stormy  frown, 
His  shining  beams  rain  down, 
And  kiss  the  joyous  earth, 
In  boundless  ecstasy ! — 


162 


MARCH  26tu,  '27.  in 


«N  the  tossing  tempest  be  bid  tbee,. 
In  tbe  flaming  storm,  our  God! — 
Tbee,  that  wast  cradled  m  tempests-, 
Thee,  that  wast  nurst  in  storms ! — 

On  the  rushing,  wings  of  the  whirlwind, 

He  called  thy  soul  to  Him ! — 

Thine,  that  hast  wrestled  with  life  and  with  deatbr 

And  that  hast  vanquished  them  both!— 

-•—Like  to  the  white-winged  dove  above  the  watsrs- 
Breaking  in  frenxy  'gainst  the  starless  heavens, — 
That  soared  through  all  the  gloom*  of  feapful  night. 
Unerring  to  its  mark,-*- 

So  rose  thy  song  triumphantly  abore 
The  long,  hot  desperate  frays  of  life,  unheeding 
The  darkness,  and  the  maddened  winds  and  wave*, 
Straight  to  the  throne  of  God.— 


163 


So  rose  thy  soul  victoriously  above 

The  short,  sharp,  hopeless  fray  with  death,  dismayed  not 

By  all  the  shadows  of  the  unknown  path, 

Straight  to  the  heart  of  God.  — 

On  the  wings  of  the  rushing  whirl-wind, 

He  called  thy  soul  to  Him, 

Thine,  that  hast  wrestled  with  life  and  with  death, 

And  that  hast  vanquished  them  both  !  — 


164 


me  a  friend,  ye  gods,!— 
To  laugh  with  me, 
To  weep  with  me, 

All  my  life's  treasures  keep  with  me ! — 
AVho  needs  not  words  of  common  speech, 
The  deep  wants  of  my  soul  to  reach, 
But  reads  with  one  glance  of  her  eyes, 
The  long  night  spent  in  tears  and  sighs, — 
— To  whom  all  pain  and  joy  be  known, 
By  my  heart-throbs  against  her  own  !—   • 

Give  me  a  friend,  ye  gods! — 

To  love  with  me, 

To  pray  with  me, 

In  storms  and  sunshine  stay  with  me ! — 

— With  me  all  bitter  cups  to  drain, 

That  through  her  love  hold  less  of  pain, 

To  know  me  in  each  changing  mood, 

E'en  then  when  barren  solitude, 

Were  sometime  dearer  unto  me, 

Than  e'en  her  blessed  company — ! — 

— Give  me  a  friend,  yc  gods, ! 

To  live  with  me, 

To  die  with  me, 

And  life  and  death  defy  with  me, — 

Send  such  a  friend,  sweet  gods  1 — 


165    % 


TO 

O  love,  my  heart  had  come  to  thee. 

Whatever  land,  whatever  sea, 

Had  parted  thy  dear  soul  from  me  !  Old  Song. 


/  »\\ 

J«?^iiND  had  I  put  my  heart  in  the  ground, 

Like  a  sprouting  seedling,  true  and  sound, — 

It  had  crept,  to  thee, 

Wheresoe'er  thou  mightst  be, 

And  were  it  earth's  furthermost  end, — 

And  sprung  and  blossomed  a  noble  tree, 

At  thy  blessed  door,  my  love,  my  friend ! — 

And  had  I  cast  my  heart  on  the  sea, 

Like  a  stately  ship  mos't  fair  to  see, 

It  had  sailed  to  thee, 

Wheresoe'er  thou  mightst  be, 

And  were  it  earth's  furthermost  end, — 

And  cast  its  anchor  most  gallantly, 

At  thy  blessed  feet,  my  love,  my  friend! — 

And  had  I  flung  my  heart  on  the  air, 

Like  a  shining  bird  of  plumage  rare, 

It  had  soared  to  thee, 

Wheresoe'er  thou  mightst  be, 

And  were  it  earth's  furthermost  end, — 

It  had  flown  to  thy  bosom  to  nestle  there, 

Forever  and  ever,  my  love,  my  friend! — 


166 


TO  THE  SAME. 


JLv^Y  heart  is  as  a  temple,  sanctified 

By  him,  whose  blessed  image  there  is  worshipped, 

And  whose  loved  name  on  every  wall  inscribed. 

—  And  some  among  the  pilgrims  pass  the  portals, 

Of  all  the  throng  the  tide  of  life  sweeps  by, 

Stop  in  their  course  to  gain  an  entrance  there. 

— Some  pause  upon  the  step,  some  cross  the  threshold, 

Some  at  the  inner  doors  stand  still,  a  few 

Pass  down  the  silent  aisle,  to  halt  beneath 

The  fretted  arches,  or  the  starry  dome, 

And  fewer  still  approach  the  altar  bright 

"With  the  eternal  lamp,  and  dim  with  incense 

Rising  into  the  skies  forever,  veiling 

From  mortal  sight  the  image  hung  above, — 

— And  one  perchance,  across  the  cloud  sometimes 

Caught  a  faint  glimpse  of  the  blessed  features,  shining 

In  quiet  greatness  there,  and  deathless  glory. — 

— But  into  the  heart  of  the  temple, 

Into  the  Sanctuary's  own, 

Into  the  Holy  of  Holies,— 

Thou  hast  entered  alone  I — 


167 


^y^  Joy  !— thou  who  akin  to  love  dost  make, 
All  earth  to  blossom  with  perpetual  spring, 
Our  hearts  to  throb  with  fuller,  sweeter  life, — 
Bearst  us  aloft  upon  thy  shining  wing, 
Unto  the  very  gates  of  heaven  itself, — 
— Wherefore  so  utterly, 
Hast  thou  forsaken  me? — 
Did  I  not  give  thee  welcome  in  my  soul  ? — 
Was  it  so  long  the  abode  of  bitter  sorrow, 
Darkened  for  so  long,  solitary  years 
With  all  the  heaviness  of  unshed  tears, 
Thy  tender  life,  prospers  but  in  glad  day, 
Faded  and  perished  in  that  twilight  gray  ? — 
— And  yet,  O  Joy ! — is  there  not  sunshine  there 
Enough  to  make  it  thy  eternal  home  ? — 
— Have  I  a  friend  not,  O  sweet  Joy, 
What  though  she  dwell  beyond  the  sea  ? ! — 
Have  I  a  love  not,  blessed  Joy, 
What  though  he  dwell  beyond  the  stars? ! — 
— Is  not  earth  beautiful,  and  summer  come  ? — 


168 


Wherefore  may  I  not  sing,  — 

I,  whose  full  heart  should  rise 

With  gladder  hymns  into  the  radiant  skies, 

Then  any  warbling  lark  upon  the  wing, 

In  praise  of  Him,  that  day  and  night 

Gives  all  delight, 

That  unto  me  has  given, 

The  richest  treasures  and  of  earth  or  heaven  ?  — 

—  O  Toy,  sweet  Joy  !  —  I  conjure  thee, 

Come  back  to  me  !  — 

Make  earth  to  bloom  with  but  an  hour  of  spring  !- 


169 


^^  soul,  my  soul ! — from  what  move  passionate  star, 

Hast  thou  been  exiled  to  this  colder  earth, 

That  all  its  beauties  serve  but  to  recall, 

The  brighter  splendors,  the  unfading  glories, 

Of  thy  eternal  home  ? — 

That  laughter  means  not  mirth,  nor  joy  delight, 

And  love  shall  never  know  contentment  here, 

And  hope  is  but  an  ever-fleeting  shadow, 

And  life  not  life,  but  only  death  as  life, 

Death  shall  lead  onward  through  unfathomed  ,darkness, 

To  that  eternal  home? — 

— Wherein  hast  thou  offended,  O  my  soul ! 

That  the  dim  vision  of  that  eternal  home, 

— Remembered  not,  yet  unforgotten, — falls 

Thus  like  a  shadow  o'er  thy  sunniest  dreams, 

A  blight  upon  the  fairest  flowers  of  fancy, 

Mingles  with  eveiy  cup  a  drop  of  marrah? ! — 

—That  passion  and  desire  should  be  consumed, 

In  the  great,  burning  thirst  unquenchable, 

For  that  eternal  home, — 

Where  joy  shall  mean  delight,  and  hope  fulfillment, 

And  love  shall  find  its  measureless  content, 

And  life  is  everlasting  ecstasy, 

And  death  less  than  an  unreniembered  dream ! — 


170 


TO 


HEREFORE,  thou  Strange,  thou  Great,  thou  All- 
Compelling, 

Didst  thou  come  into  my  calm  life  ? !— like  to 
A  shining  meteor  rise  upon  my  sky, 
In  whose  red  light  must  pale  and  fade  away, 
The  peaceful  stars,  gleamed  ever  there  on  high, — 
A  storm  that  sweeps  across  the  trembling  earth, — 
A  fire-brand  flung  upon  my  quiet  hearth, 
Startling  my  days  unruffled  course,  into 
Feverish  unrest,  and  passionate  desire ! — 
For  the  deep  magic  of  thy  voice  and  eye, 
The  power  of  but  thy  presence  near,  has  kindled, 
In  all  my  veins  a  fierce,  consuming  fire, 
Whose  glow  naught  can  extinguish  nor  allay, — 
Filled  all  my  heart  with  a  great  thirst  and  hunger, 
Whose  nameless  cravings  naught  can  satisfy, — 
Sent  a  hot  arrow  quivering  to  my  soul, 
That  rankles  there,  until  I  may  not  say. 
If  'twere  more  tolerable  to  endure 
The  mingled  joy  and  pain  to  gaze  on  thee, 
Or  the  yet  sharper,  deadlier  agony, 


171 


To  go  from  thee,  and  turn  my  face  away, 

And  dwell  apart  from  thee  forevermore,- 

Till  I  too  proud  and  great  to  bend  a  knee, 

Unto  the  mightiest  King  e'er  wielded  sway, 

Would  follow  thee  on  foot  a  willing  slave, 

To  earth's  most  distant  and  most  desolate  shore  !— 

•  —  O  thou  All-irresistable  !  —  wherefore 

Didst  thou  thus  plough  and  harrow  up  my  spirit, 

Shake  all  my  being  to  its  inmost  core, 

Uproot  and  rend  it  from  its  wonted  centre, 

The  aim  and  purpose  made  it  strong  and  whole?  !  — 

—And  yet  my  storm,  my  flaming  heavenly  light 

From  out  the  deepness  of  that  very  soul, 

"Where  the  sharp  arrow  rankles  ceaselessly, 

Do  I  thank  Him,  the  God  of  Heaven,  Who  sent 

Thee  unto  me  !  —  For  the  great  burning  fire, 

The  thirst  and  hunger  that  consume  my  heart, 

Are  yet  more  gladness,  and  more  deep  delight, 

Than  perfect  health  and  power,  and  the  content 

Of  fulness,  wholly  satisfied!  —  And  not 

For  all  the  treasures  of  the  land  and  sea, 

Would  I  renounce  one  pang  endured  for  thee  '.  — 


172   4* 


TO  THE  SAME. 


«u  HOU  shalt  remember,  thou  shalt  not  forget  me ! — 
'Mid  all  the  heat  of  day, 
My  image  suddenly, 
Like  a  faint  spectre  gray, 
Shall  in  thy  sight  arise, 

And  fix  on  thee  grave,  earnest,  searching  eyes, 
And  fill  thee  with  a  sense  of  strange  unrest ! 

And  when  the  world's  loud,  bustling  sounds  are  hushed, 

In  the  lone  dark  of  night, 

'Twill  stand  thy  couch  beside, 

Instinct  with  life  and  light, — 

And  starting  from  thy  dream, 

Roused  by  the  radiance  of  the  unwonted  gleam, 

Thine  eyes  shall  close  no  more  all  those  long  hours  ! 

Thou  shalt  remember,  thou  shalt  not  forget  me  ! — 

For  when  thou  seest  me, 

My  gaze  shall  read  thy  heart, 

My  lips  shall  speak  to  thee, 

Of  every  agony 

E'er  shook  thy  inmost  life,  each  ecstasy 

Was  of  the  deepest  secrets  of  thy  soul ! — 


173 


I  shall  pursue  thee,  haunt  thee,  follow  thee, 

And  morn  and  eve  and  noon, 

Tracking  thy  every  step, 

Beneath  or  sun  or  moon, 

Till  knowing-  me  a  part 

Of  thine  own  self,  thou  clasp  me  to  thy  heart, 

And  hast  forgotten  thou  couldst  e'er  forget  me  !- 


174   9 


«p«i  OT  when  the  flower  is  fresh,  and  Fair  with  deW,- 
^-Not  when  the  proud  sun  blazes  in  deep  noon, — 
Nor  yet  when  rounded  to  its  perfect  fniness, 
Hangs  in  the  cloudless  heavens  the  silvery  moon,— 

Not  in  the  flush  of  joy  and  godly  triumph, — 
Kot  when  thine  eye  shines,  and  thy  heart  throbs  high 
With  life  and  hope,  and  soars  the  earth  beyond, 
And  would  exultant  storm  the  very  sky,— 

— When  the  long  shadows  fall,  and  the  pale  moon 
Is  in  its  wane,  and  the  flower  hangs  its  head, 
And  thy  heart  pulses  sluggishly  again, 
And  life  means  day  and  night,  and  hope  is  dead, 
And  eyes  grow  dim  with  secret  tears  unshed, — 
— Then  shall  by  some  strange,  fitful,  dark  decree, 
Thy  soul's  deepest  desires  be  granted  thec !— 


175 


TO  C.  S. 


should  I  know,  how  could  I  tell, 

0  thou,  rny  love  of  other  days! — 

1  loved  thee  still  so  passing  well, 
That  but  thy  voice,  a  word  from  thee, 
Could  shake  rny  spirit  to  the  core, 
Thrill  it  with  all  the  ancient  spell !  ? — 

— How  could  I  tell,  how  should  I  know, 
That  at  a  touch  of  thy  dear  hand, 
From  out  the  smitten  rock  should  flow, 
Long  pent  up  'mid  the  ice  and  snow 
The  chilly  years  have  gathered  there, — • 
The  waters  warm  as  long  ago  ? — 

That  the  old  wound  should  bleed  again, 
The  old  hot  tears  start  forth  anew, 
That  what  in  sight  of  God  and  men, 
I  fancied  dead  and  buried  long, — 
The  golden  dreams,  the  smiling  hopes, 
Should  press  about  me  bright  as  then  ? — 


%    176    £ 

O  had  I  known  how  sharp  and  sore 
The  unrest  would  be,  now  stirs  this  heart 
With  all  the  images  of  yore, — 
I'd  heeded  well  not  recklessly 
To  trouble  all  those  quiet  graves, 
To  call  thy  memory  back  to  me, 
O  thou,  my  love  of  other  days! — 
That  canst  my  love  be  nevermore ! — 


"And  as  he  rod*  into  the  courtyard,  he  found  his 
love  dead. — And  he  turned  his  horse's  head,  and 
sped  away,  no  one  knew  whither."  Old  Story. 


^3  galop  the  wide  world  o'er  and  o'er, 
I  galop  forever  and  evermore ! — 

Through  the  deepest  sea,  and  the  longest  land, 
Through  the  burning  heat  of  the  desert  sand. 

Through  the  deadly  moor  and  the  dreary  fen, 
Through  the  mighty  wood  and  ghostly  glen. 

O'er  plains  in  the  twilight,  where  I  see, 
My  horse's  swift  shadow  before  me  flee. 

Through  the  silent  streets,  when  the  moon  shines  bright, 
Of  populous  towns  in  the  dead  of  night. — 

— I  galop  the  wide  world  o'er  and  o'er, 
And  find  my  love  never  and  nevermore  ! — 


«    178    & 

And  the  surging  waves  of  the  mocking  sea, 
And  the  leaves  of  the  forest,  laugh  at  me  I — 

"Thy  love  lies  deep  in  the  still,  cold  ground, 
And  on  earth  shall  never  again  be  fonnd  l'r 

But  I  know  she  loved  me  too  tenderly, 
To  have  left  me  thus,  and  forsaken  me  !— 

And  I'll  seek  my  dead  love  the  wide  world  o'er', 
If  I  galop  forever  and  evermore !— 


179 


^y^X  thy  flowery  meads  and  meadows,  thy  green  fields,  O 

nature  blest! 
Let  my  sore  feet,  travel  weary,  cease  their  wandering,  know 

of  rest  !— 

Lave  my  hot  wounds  at  thy  brooklets,  cool  my  brow  with 

thy  soft  breeze, 
Lull  me  into  dreamless  slumber,  with  the  whisper  in  thy 

trees ! — 

Suffer  all  my  restless  spirit,  fretted  by  a  thousand  ills, 
Taste  of  the  sweet  peace,  forever  breathes  from  thy  sunlit 
hills  !— 

Make  me  strong  as  thy  broad  rivers,  roll  their  courses  to 

the  sea, 
Great  as  thy  majestic  mountain?,  changeless  as  eternity! — 


%:•  iso 


«j  AREWELL,  sweet  fields,  steeped  in  deep,  golden  sun- 
Bathed  in  the  shimmering  freshness  of  the  clew,        •  [shine, 
Rich  with  brown  clover,  and  the  white-starred  daisy, — 
Filled  with  the  hum  of  the  first  early  bee  ! — 
And  you  wide-spreading  trees,  rearing  your  heads 
Aloft,  in  speechless  yet  most  close  communion, 
To  the  more  eloquent  skies  cloudless  above  you, — 
And  you,  great,  silent,  purpling  hills,  mute  links 
Between  the  earth  and  heaven, — and  you  dreamlike. 
Painless  existence  full  of \ague  delight, 
Where  the  faint  warbling  of  the  joyous  birds, 
The  low,  clear  murmur  of  the  shadowy  brook, 
Does  soothe  with  a  deep,  infinite  sense  of  rest, 
The  fevered  pulses  of  too  lapid  life, 
The  panting  heart's  great  unquenched  thirst,  the  soul's 
Unceasing  hunger  for  immortal  deeds — ! — 
That  life  again  with  all  its  fretful  toil, 
Its  jarring  tumult,  its  unending  strife, 
Its  heat,  its  weariness,  its  dark  despair, 
Knocks  at  the  gates  of  my  scarce  slumbering  heart, 
Calling  it  back  into  the  thickest  fray. — 
— Farewell,  sweet  peace  '.—Yet  welcome,  godly  battle, 
Thou  that  dost  crowd  into  one  flaming  day 
More  of  eternal  life  than  shall  be  known, 
In  thousand  years  of  that  untroubled  peace! — 


181 


^f*   to  o'erleap  in  one  bold  bond  sublime, 

The  gap  of  the  tomorrow, — now  divides  us 

From  the  most  glorious  sum  of  our  long  strife, 

The  hottest  battles  noblest  consummations! — 

—To  press  into  one  throb  the  slow  pulsations, 

That  bear  the  tides  of  this  too  sluggish  life, 

Out  into  spaces  of  unmeasured  time! — 

— To  crowd  into  one  burning,  flaming  day, 

Between  the  rise  and  setting  of  the  sun, 

All  passionate  desire,  all  great  performance, 

All  godly  deeds  that  shall  perchance  be  done, 

Through  the  long  future  years, 

In  pangs  and  agony, 

Tn  dark  despair  and  tears, 

Were  now  consumed  in  the  great  fire  divine, 

Of  this  one  moment's  immortality! — 

— And  w itii  the  gathering  night  lay  down  to  rest, 

In  a  deep,  dreamless  sleep  of  vague  delight, 

Knows  of  no  waking  more ! — O  such  a  day, 

Were  life  in  truth,  and  death  not  such  a  night! — 


INRI. 
SONNET. 


««jT  noon  dark  night  had  fallen  in  heaven  on  high 

The  blood-red  sun  hung,  but  no  light  was  shed, 

Upon  the  earth  below,  silent  and  dead 

The  distant  City  lay  beneath  the  sky. 

—The  leaves  and  blossoms  drooped  in  burning  heat, 

No  wind  rose,  and  the  heavy  air  was  still ; 

All  men  had  trembling  fled  from  off  the  hill, 

Save  She  who  wept  beneath  the  Saviour's  feet. 

— No  sound,  save  of  the  drops  of  purple  blood, 

That  fell  from  out  his  wounds  upon  the  ground, 

Thirsty  and  parched,  in  slow,  unceasing  flood. 

— No  whisper  in  the  trees ;  but  suddenly 

There  came  a  cry,  piercing  the  darkness  round, — 

— "My  God!  My  God!  why  hast  thou  forsaken  mei" — 


183 


MOZART. 

sa  HOU  on  whose  radiant  brow  the  flush  of  youth 
Unfading  shines,  through  all  eternity — 
Thou  that  art  like  a  blushing  morn  in  spring, 
'Neath  whose  first  kiss  a  thousand  blossoms  burst, 
A  thousand  birds  awake  to  joyous  carols 
A  rosy  sunrise,  telling  heaven  and  earth — 
Of  the  rich,  golden  summer-day  beyond, 
— Lovers  that  wander  'neath  the  silvery  moon, 
'Twixt  tears  and  smiles,  'twixt  joy  and  yearning,  hearkening 
Unto  the  witching  tales  their  own  soul  whispers 
Of  love's  infinite  promise  of  delight, — 
Shall  sing  thy  praise  while  hearts  yet  throb  with  life ! 

HAYDN. 

Thou  on  whose  cloudless  brow  the  milder  light 
Of  manhood  beams,  through  all  the  future  years — 
Thou  that  art  like  a  mellow  autumn  eve, 
In  whose  brown  leaves  and  purple  tints  are  bound 
A  thousand  recollections  of  bright  summer— 


184 


A  golden  sunset  giving  kind  assurance 

Of  cheery  winter-nights  beside  the  hearth  , 

Lovers  that  sit  within  the  ruddy  glow 

Of  their  own  fire-light,  with  clasped  hands,  and  eyes 

Tell  the  unspeakable  contentment  found 

In  the  fulfillment  of  love'sinfinite  promise- 

Shall  sing  thy  praise  while  hearts  yet  rise  to  God  ! 

BEETHOVEN. 

But  tliou  upon  whose  stormy  brow  there  burns 

Undimmed  the  light  of  Heaven,  while  God  yet  lives,- 

Thou  that  art  like  the  night  with  all  its  stars; 

In  whose  mysterious  shadows  lie  enfolded 

A  thousand  morns  of  spring  and  autumn  eves, 

A  thousand  summer  suns,  and  winter  fires, 

Within  the  deep  of  whose  unfathorhed  heart, 

The  anguish  and  the  ecstasy,  the  hopes 

And  prayers,  the  joys  and  tears  of  all  mankind 

Pulse  secretly  —  oh,  who  shall  sing  thy  praise? 

Before  thy  soul's  immortal  majesty, 

Speech  dies  in  silence,  and  the  lip  grows  dumb! 


185    9 


"WHERE  SHOULD   THE  SCHOLAR  LIVE?"— 


HERE  should  the  soul  of  the  poet  dwell  !— 
—Where  the  icebergs  rise  'neath  the  sombre  sky, 
And  the  reindeer  skims  o'er  the  frozen  snow, 
And  the  Xorth-light  flashes  and  flames  on  high? — 

In  the  far-off  East,  where  the  slender  palm, 
Stands  dreamily  whispering  by  night  and  clay, 
And  the  pyramid  on  the  yellow  sands, 
Tells  of  thousands  of  years  that  passed  away? — 

In  the  blessed  clime,  where  the  sun  shines  mild. 
And  the  ruder  blasts  of  the  North  are  still, 
And  the  corn-fields  wave  in  the  evening  breeze, 
And  the  purple  grape  grows  ripe  on  the  hill? — 

On  the  stormy  waves  of  the  boundless  sea, 
Where  the  shimmering  pearl,  and  the  coral  sleep, 
And  the  mystic  murmurs  of  ebb  and  flow, 
Sing  of  the  wonders  that  rest  in  the  deep  ? — 

— Nowhere  in  the  world,  shall  his  glorious  soul, 
Like  an  earth-born  bird,  fold  her  shining  wings, 
But  float  like  the  spirit  of  God  o'er  the  deep, 
And  hover  above  all  beautiful  things. — 


186 


'ALL  ye  this  life ? — this  sweet  providing  for 
The  daily  wants  sustain  our  mortal  part, 
The  tender  care  the  mother  gives  her  child, 
The  blest  communion  of  heart  with  heart, 
The  ties  infinite  fine,  and  yet  resisting 
The  iron  hand  of  death,  that  do  unite 
And  man  and  wife, — all  the  untold  delight, 
Flows  out  from  all  the  thousand  springs  of  love  ?- 
— Or  yet  this  basking  in  green,  sunlit  fields, 
This  drinking  in  with  craving  soul  and  eye, 
Forever  satisfied,  yet  ever  thirsty, 
The  hills  and  valleys,  earth  and  sea  and  sky, 
All  countless  glories,  wherewith  earth  is  starred ?- 
— Or  yet  even  the  sacred  fires  enkindled  by 
The  thought  of  freedom, — of  the  blood  and  tears, 
Those  went  before  us  in  the  long,  gray  years, 
Poured  freely  out  to  win  that  priceless  boon?  — 
— Ay,  call  ye  life  all  this,  though  it  be  great  ? — 
— I  tell  you  all  earth's  glories  soon  or  late, 
Shall  crumble  to  decay,  and  be  no  more, 
Love  dies,  and  sacred  fires  to  ashes  fall ! — 
I  tell  you  that  but  we,  who  lend  to  all 
A  living  voice,  who  do  perceive  find  note 


18 


Each  feeblest  stirring  of  the  pulses,  each 
Faint  flutter  of  the  heartstrings,  and  the  soul's 
Most  tender  thrill,  and  yearning  most  remote,  —  • 
—  -We,  who  do  follow  up  life's  wondrous  course, 
To  its  most  secret,  most  mysterious  source, 
Its  deepest  waters,  —  watch  and  do  record, 
Each  light  and  shadow  quivering  o'er  its  surface,- 
—We,  whom  was  given  the  godly  gift  of  speech, 
Whom  the  all-merciful  God  granted  the  word, 
The  power  of  song,  --  1  tell  ye  that  but  we, 
Know  what  is  life,  and  what  eternity  !  — 


183   9 


fea'M  wedded  to  the  Muse,  my  Sweet, 
I'm  wedded  to  the  Muse  !— 
And  did  aught  other  lover  come, 
I'd  entrance  him  refuse, 

Into  the  heart  that's  guarded,  Sweet, 
By  gate,  and  bolt  and  bar, 
By  fosse,  and  wall  and  turret  higli, 
Looks  o'er  the  land  from  far  3 — 

And  did  he  force  a  passage  in, 
By  arts  or  swift  or  slow, 
I'd  pray  the  Lord  deliver  me, 
From  so  most  deadly  foe ! — 

For  I'll  be  parted  nor  cut  off, 
Divided  nevermore, 

From  the  sweet  Muse,  my  hope,  my  life 
My  lover  f oreverinore ! — 


189 


TO  THE  MUSE. 


«i  have  a  friend,  so  fair,  so  passing  fair, 
Naught  in  the  world  compared  to  her  from  far, 
Her  sweet  eyes  shine  like  a  benignant  star, 
And  made  of  line-spun  sunbeams  is  her  hair! — • 

Sometimes  I  find  her  walking  by  my  side, 
Out  in  the  noisy  world,  the  bustling  mart, 
But  loves  she  best,  when  that  I  dwell  apart 
In  utter  solitude,  with  me  to  abide. — 

But  at  all  hours, — in  the  dark,  starry  night, 
At  flaming  noonday  does  she  come  to  me, 
And  every  hour  of  her  sweet  company, 
Is  fullest  joy,  exeeding  deep  delight! — 

For  she  doth  soothe  all  pain,  bind  up  each  wound, 
And  without  her,  life  were  a  burden,  great 
As  the  sore  cross,  beneath  whose  crushing  weight, 
He  toiling  up  the  hillside  sank  and  swooned ! — 

And  I  do  love  her  above  everything 
Of  earth  or  heaven  !— and  when  I  feel  her  kiss 
Upon  my  earth-born  brow,  so  rapturous  bliss 
Floods  all  my  soul,  I  hear  the  angels  sing ! — 


100   9 


SONG. 


£L  RUST  me  not,  love ;  I  am  bat  fickle,  fickle ! 
Too  easily  turns  my  soul's  swift-changing  hue : 
I  cannot  long  be  constant,  kind  or  true! 

Tender,  or  proud  and  cold, 

Fiery,  and  young  or  old, 

Filled  or  with  hopes  or  fears, 

Laughter  or  bitter  tears, 
My  heart  is  tossed  by  every  passing  breeze ! 

Now,  at  high  noon,  I  love  the  crimson  rose, 
But  ah,  alas!  who  knows!, 
If  ere  the  starry  night  please  me  not  best 
The  golden-hearted  lily's  pallid  crest ! 

This  hour  I'd  joyful  lay  me  down  to  die 
For  a  dark  lustrous  eye ; 

The  next  may  all  my  heart  be  stormed  and  won 
By  some  blue  violet  hiding  from  the  sun. 

To-day  I  treasure  high  proud  liberty, 
To-morrow  may  find  me 
The  willing  vassal  of  some  mighty  king, 
Holding  his  glory  dear  o'er  everything. 


$    191    » 

Ah !  now  I  love  thee  with  consuming  fire. 
Now,  in  the  dewy  morning's  early  ray  , 
But  who  may  tell,  if  not  ere  close  of  day, 

Before  another  morn, 

Hot  vows  be  pledged  and  sworn, 

Eternal  faith,  my  sweet, 

At  other,  dearer  feet? 
Trust  me  not,  love;  I  am  but  fickle,  fickle ! 


192 


«j  O  sadness  is  my  soul  attuned. 
To  sadness ! — 

No  more  a  single  chord  may  thrill, 
To  gladness ! — 
— I  know  not  wherefore,  O  but  joy  is  flown! — 

Xo  comfort  more  from  aught,  these  tears 

May  borrow ! — 

To  tears  the  hopes  are  turned,  that  smiled 

Tomorrow ! — 

To  twilight  gray  the  golden  sunshine  grown! 

To  silence  the  sweet  birds  that  piped 

So  cheerily ! — 

Faded  the  bright-hued  flowers  I  loved 

So  dearly ! 

— I  know  not  wherefore,  O  but  joy  is  flown ! — 


193 


HAT  strange,  dark  fate,  what  starless  lot,  ye  gods, 
Has  evermore  been  mine  ! — 

Where  I  have  loved  and  worshipped,  where  my  soul, 
Kindling  with  fire  divine, 
Thrilled  to  undying  words,  immortal  deeds, 
And  I  iu  ecstasy, 

My  hot  heart  on  my  lips,  cried  out, — "Lead  me 
To  them,  revealed  to  me 
The  imperishable  glory  of  the  Godhead, 
Let  me  haste  speedily, 

To  clasp  their  blessed  feet,  kiss  their  loved  hands ! " — 
I  e'er  was  answered  with  a  pitying  smile, — 
— "Nay,  foolish  child,  in  vain ! — the  feet  you'd  clasp 
This  hour  long,  long  ago, 
Have  done  their  weary  pilgrimage  on  earth, — 
Long  the  dark  earth  below, 

The  hands  you'd  kissed  are  crumbled  into  dustl"- 
And  silent  grave3,moss-grown  in  long,  gray  years, 
Was  all  I  found  of  them,  through  bursting  tears. — 


194 


FRIENDS, 


each  others  hands  in  this  dark  hour. 
Like  timid  children  wandering  through  the  night, 
So  let  us  seek  the  face  of  God  together, 
That  surely  like  the  moon  behind  black  clouds, 
Somewhere  must  shine,  with  sweet,  benignant  light  !- 

•—Kissing  each  others  lips,  yet  other  hour, 
Like  weary  children  lay  us  down  to  rest, 
Knowing  our  way  not,  but  yet  full  of  trust, 
Sometime  the  night  will  pass,  the  golden  morn, 
Flood  the  glad  earth,  from  sea  to  mountain  crest  I 


££^ YE,  let  my  soul  go  free 

Of  each  particular  tie  that  ever  bound  it ! 

Untrammeled  as  the  everlasting  sea, 

Rolls  on  from  shore  to  shore, 

Tosses  its  angry  billows  to  the  skies, 

At  rest  and  smiling  lies, — 

Unfettered  as  the  mighty  winds  of  heaven, 

Roam  all  the  wide  world  o'er, 

A  rushing  tempest  bearing  certain  death 

Or  gentle  breeze ,  their  breath, — 

But  as  may  please  their  own  proud  sovereign  will, 

Heedless,  defiant  of  all  earthty  law, 

Subject  to  no  command, 

No  beck  of  mortal  hand, 

Obedient  to  the  voice  of  God  alone, 

When  he  may  choose  to  bid  them:  "Peace  be  still!" 

Not  that  this  heart  ne'er  knew 

The  thrill  of  tenderness,  the  glow  of  passion ! — 

Nay,  verily,  but  all  too  oft,  I  too 

Tasted  love's  ecstasy, 

Its  bitterness  and  anguish  and  delight. — 

Him,  that  for  supreme  right, 

Justice  and  freedom,  made  his  noble  life 

One  long,  immortal  plea, — 


«    196    9 

Him,  that  in  the  great  realm  of  song  and  sound 
Rules  as  a  king  encrowned, — 
Her,  whose  proud,  quivering  lips  and  magic  eye 
Tell  of  all  tears  and  smiles,  despair  and  hope, 
All  joys  and  pangs  and  smarts, 

Ever  moved  mortal  hearts, 

All  these  I  loved  with  a  consuming  fire, 
A  love  I  fancied  ne'er  could  pale  and  die. 

And  they  dropped  from  me  all. 

Those  great,  immortal  loves,  like  leaves  in  autumn, 

Grow  brown  and  sere,  and  overripe  must  fall, 

Leaving  me  'ne  th  the  heaven 

Barren  and  cold,  and  yet  content  the  spring 

Surely  new  buds  must  bring, 

Shall  in  their  turn  unfold  and  grow  and  perish, 

And  by  the  winds  be  driven  — 

So  let  my  soul  go  free  forevermore ! 

Know  bonds  of  love  no  more, 

Save  those,  my  earliest  love,  bind  me  to  thee! 

Thee,  whom  I  ever  held  close  to  my  heart, 

To  whom  through  every  other  chance  and  change, 

All  frail  inconstancy, 

All  dark  disloyalty, 

I  yet  was  faithful  with  unswerving  passion, 

Thee,  O  sweet  Freedom,  worshipped  Liberty! 


197    £ 


'S  LAMENT.— 


&S^I?T,  Art,  thou  that  art  long  mine  own  no  more, 

Thou,  that  wast  wont  to  be  mine  all  of  yore! — 

Life  of  my  inmost  life,  my  hope,  my  god ! — 

The  sun  and  stars  whence  warmth,  and  light  were  lent 

The  darkest,  chillest  hours  earth  ever  knew, — 

My  daily  bread  whence  I  drew  nourishment 

Sustained  me  evermore, — the  golden  wine 

Wherefrom  my  soul  drank  in  the  breath  divine, 

Imperishable  immortality — ! — 

I  have  forsaken  thee,  renounced,  denied  thee, 

Like  lie  who  cried,  he  knew  his  Master  not! 

— O  Art,  Art,  Art! — a  boundless  agony, 
Does  rend  and  tear  my  spirit  at  the  thought ! — 
An  anguish  sharper  than  most  cruel  death, 
When  I  do  pass  the  sacred  temples  by, 
Where  thou  dost  dwell  in  silent  majesty, 
Where  I  too  might  have  ministered  to  thee, 
Thy  holy  priestess  and  thy  votary, 
Had  I  not  left  thee  thus  ! — 

And  wherefore,  wherefore !- 
—  O  for  a  mortal  love,  an  earth  desire, 
Have  I  surrendered,  yielded,  sacrificed, 


198 


The  immortal  passion,  the  great  heavenly  fire, 
Once  bound  my  soul  to  thee  !  -- 

—  O  surely,  surely,  'twas  not  well!  —  surely 
Twas  an  ill  day,  and  a  most  starless  hour, 
The  day  and  hour  when  he  first  came  to  me  ! 
With  his  soft  voice,  his  presence's  witching  power, 
First  wooed  and  won  my  bleeding  heart  from  thee,  — 
With  the  dark  glow  his  eyes  poured  into  mine, 
Made  me  forget  thy  starry  gaze  divine!  — 

—  Yet  not  forget!  —  Nay,  nay,  I  ne'er  forgot  thee, 
Never  forgot  thee  wholly  for  an  hour  !— 

—  Not  even  'mid  the  rapture  of  his  kiss,  — 
Not  even  in  that  night  of  consummate  bliss, 
Saw  the  fulfillment  of  this  broken  dream,  — 

—  Kich  with  the  intoxicating  breath  of  summer, 
Roses  and  snowy  blossoms,  and  the  gleam 

Of  golden  stars,—  when  he  first  called  me  wife  !  — 

—  For  through  it  all  there  went  an  aching  memory, 
A  sore  remembrance  of  my  deepest  life, 

Held  more  of  full  contentment  than  all  this,  — 
The  hours  divine  whe  n  I  communed  with  thee  ! 

—  Not  even  then,  when  in  the  course  of  years, 
Sweet,  prattling  children  gathered  at  my  knee, 
Whose  loving  arms  were  twined  my  neck  around, 
Who  called  me  mother,  and  whose  eyes  laughed  at  me. 

—  For  O  did  the  small  mortal  forms,  so  soon 
Taken  from  me,  and  laid  in  the  dark  ground, 
E'er  fully,  wholly  cut  off  every  thought 


•ft    199    9 

Of  the  proud  shapes,  the  sinning  images, 

Had  sprung  perchance  from  out  a  soul, — afire 

With  but  the  godliness  of  great  desire, — 

Instinct  with  life,  and  proved  perchance  immortal ! — 

— Nay!— through  it  all  there  went  a  hungry  craving, 

A  thirst  unsatisfied,  unquenchable, 

A  nameless  yearning  Art,  for  thee  1 — through  all 

Thy  haunting,  everpresent,  voiceless  shadow, 

Fell  like  the  chill  and  darkness  of  a  pall, 

Between  the  brightest  sunlight  and  my  soul ! — 

— And  now  they've  left  me  all, — he  too,  he  too, 

Who  won  my  heart  from  thee ! — I  am  alone. 

— Above  their  silent  graves  the  spring-winds  moan, — 

I  that  forsook  thee,  stand  myself  forsaken ! — 

— And  now  at  last  would  I  come  back  to  thee, 

Art,  Art,  my  first,  my  last,  my  only  love ! — 

But  now  1  know  that  thou  wouldst  turn  from  me, 

Hiding  thy  face! — for  these  poor  hands  employed 

But  in  the  petty  cares  make  up  our  day, 

Have  long  unlearned  their  wonted  skill  and  cunning, 

Could  not  the  spirit's  promptings  more  obey, 

Even  could  that  broken  spirit  yet  conceive 

Immortal  thoughts ! 

— O  Art,  Art,  Art ! — surely  the  agony 

Of  death  were  sweet,  beside  the  boundless  anguish, 

Burning,  unceasing,  hopeless,  without  end, 

That  rends  and  tears  me  at  the  thought  of  thee! — 


200 


spJI  OT  in  sorrow,  not  in  sadness, 
Not  in  lays  of  fitful  gloom, 
Do  I  sing  thy  deepest  praises, 
Glorious  land  beyond  the  tomb ! — 

But  in  faith  and  hope  and  trusting, 

But  in  joy  and  deep  delight, 

Land  that  grows  more  bright  each  morning. 

Nearer  draws  with  every  night!— 

To  whose  measureless  contentment, 
All  the  earth-joys  ever  won, 
Are  but  as  the  dawn's  first  promise, 
To  the  splendors  of  th<;  sun  ! — 


201 


sJu  E  gather  round  your  hearth-fire's  cheery  glow, 
Content  to  know  that  love  and  peace  and  plenty, 
Dwell  'neath  your  happy  roof,  and  ask  no  more, — 
But  I,  consumed  by  a  great  thirst  and  hunger, 
No  comfort  at  your  bounteous  board  may  still, 
Turn  from  your  doors,  to  where  I  see  on  high, 
The  fires  celestial  blaze  against  the  sky. — • 
— What  though  black  tempests  burst  upon  the  paths 
Lead  to  the  heavenly  peaks,  upon  whose  top 
Those  beacons  flame,  unquenched,  unquenchable! — 
— "What  though  wrapped  round  by  storm  and  night,  I  lose 
The  shining  footprints  of  those  Godly  Ones 
Walked  here  before  me,  clothed  with  power  divine, — 
What  though  ere  half  the  dizzy  height  be  scaled, 
The  shadows  gather,  and  the  starless  night, 
Knows  of  no  flush  of  dawn,  comes  on,  and  I, 
A  weary,  footsore  pilgrim,  by  the  way 
Do  faint  and  fall,  to  nevermore  rise  up — ? ! — 
Shall  I  rejoice  not  loudly,  thinking  on 
The  uncrowned  greatness  of  my  soul's  desire, 
The  glory  triumphless  of  my  endeavor, — 
Shall  I  not  smiling  die,  remembering 
To  perish  like  a  god  were  higher  bliss, 
Than  live  a  man,  ignorant  of  such  defeat, 
With  all  of  Paradise  spread  at  his  feet?  ! — 


202    9 


THE  MUSE  TO  HER  ELECT. 


&5=2jND  tearless  pain,  and  speechless  agony, 
Shall  be  your  portion,  my  Anointed! — ye 
Upon  whose  brow  my  kiss  shines  like  a  star, 
Whose  gleam  perchance  shall  be  the  only  light 
To  guide  ye  oft,  through  the  long,  darksome  night! 

For  sometimes  through  deep  shadows,  whence  no  ray, 
Shall  give  aught  promise  of  faint,  struggling  day, 
Sometimes  'neath  the  fierce  arrows  of  the  sun, 
In  whose  great  noon-heat  ye  shall  droop  and  faint, 
Deathless  yet  dying,  without  sigh  or  plaint — 
Shall  ye  climb  upward  to  the  starry  heights, 
Whereto  your  weary  feet,  bleeding  and  sore, 
Unresting  yet  are  set  forevermore ! — 

Nor  joy  nor  comfort  shall  with  ye  abide, 
And  hope  shall  die,  and  love  shall  be  denied, 
No  cheer  shall  blaze  upon  your  desolate  hearth, 
Exiles  and  outcasts  shall  ye  walk  the  earth  ! — 
And  men  shall  mock  and  sneer,  and  call  in  vain 
Your  noblest  efforts,  and  most  kingly  deeds, 
Till  you  shall  question  if  the  trembling  star, 
Be  God's  own  gift  or  the  dark  curse  af  Cain! — 


203 


—  Ye  my  Anointed  shall  endure  for  me, 
All  tearless  pain,  and  speechless  agony, 

—  Shall  ye  not  chide  me,  curse  me  in  your  souls  ?"- 

—  And  echoing  through  the  ages  from  afar, 
Burst  a  great  cry  from  the  white  lips  of  those, 
Upon  whose  brow  her  kiss  shines  like  a  star,  —  • 

—  "In  tearless  pain,  and  speechless  agony, 
We  praise  and  bless  thee  through  eternity  !  " 


TO  J.  L.  M. 


207    » 


?=kj  HOU  who  hast  made  so  noble  plea  for  freedom, 

Uttered  for  her  words  so  all  great  and  true, 
That,  were  she  dead,  roused  by  thy  clarion  notes, 

Her  pulses  vivified  would  throb  anew— 
That,  bursting  the  gray  tombs,  hast  bid  the  dead,;, 

Slumbering  long  ages  the  dark  earth  below, 
Cast  off  their  cerements,  and  come  forth  and  walk, 

Not  as  pale,  flitting  shadows,  nay,  aglow, 
Instinct,  afire  with  light  arid  life  and  power, 

Of  flesh  and  blood,  with  hotly-throbbing  hearts, 
And  love  and  hate,  do  battle,  bleed  and  perish, 

Play  o'er  again  the  good  and  evil  parts 
Were  once  assigned  them  here  beneath  the  stars, 

At  whose  command  arise  again,  all  gay 
With  ancient  splendor,  loud  with  bustling  traffic, 

Cities  and  towns  long  crumbled  to  decay,— 
Thou,  the  deep  magic  of  whose  voice,  drawing 

Or  tears  or  smiles  from  us,  as  pleaseth  thee, 
Has  charmed  and  thrilled  and  borne  aloft  my  soul, 

Till  it,  so  bound,  shall  nevermore  be  free, — 
Who  hast  been  with  me  amid  pangs  and  pain, 

AVho  wast  my  solace,  and  my  hope  and  stay, 
When  darkness  and  despair  seemed  closing  round, 


208 


My  friend  and  comforter,  in  many  a  day 
When  life  grew  heavy  and  the  wide  world  dim 

To  me,  who  wearied  of  unceasingly 
Whispering  to  my  dead  love,  whose  dumb  ears  hear  not, 

Whose  mute  lips  have  no  answer  to  make  me, 
Saw  none  but  thee  to  cling  to  'neath  great  heaven,  — 

How  may  I  thank  thee,  tell  thee,  as  were  meet, 
The  homage  of  my  soul  is  thine,  my  heart 
Blesses  the  very  shadow  of  thy  feet  ? 


209 


SONNET. 


the  deepness  of  the  tossing  sea, 
I  reached  it  out  to  thee,  my  timid  hand, 
— O  thou  who  in  a  far-off,  foreign  land, 
Hast  raised  thy  voice  so  well  for  liberty!  — 
— And  now,  alasJ  I  fear  me  much,  my  heart, 
Like  to  a  roving  bird  upon  the  wing, 
Flew  after  it,  and  a  wild,  willful  thing, 
lief useth  evermore  from  thee  to  part ! — 
— And  thought  of  thee  grew  so  all  great  and  strong, 
My  soul  shall  nevermore  know  aught  content, 
Till  it  may  breathe  its  secret  in  a  song, 
Till  in  some  word  its  deepest  thrill  be  spent, 
Till  in  some  accents  such  as  these,  I  tell 
Tiie-e  loudly  that  I  love  thee,  and  how  well ! — 


SONNET. 


«j  know  not  if  I  love  tbee,  but  I  know 
That  at  fresh  morn,  fair  with  gold  light  and  dew, 
When  every  quickened  sense  seems  born  anew, — 
At  close  of  day,  in. the  sun's  fading  glow, — 
Beneath  the  stars,  when  the  dark,  hallowed  night, 
Spreads  out  her  solemn  glories  o'er  the  earth, — 
At  the  glad  eve,  beside  the  cheery  hearth, 

Blest  with  its  own  ineffable  delight, • 

"Whene'er  my  spirit  tastes  most  deep  content, 
My  thrilling  soul  with  sweetest  joy  expands, 
Or  upward  soars,  to  God's  own  firmament, — 
—My  o'erf  ull  heart  goes  out  to  thee,  my  bands 
Clasp  both  thine  own,  and  'neath  thy  quiet  eye, 
All  other  images  grow  pale  and  die.— 


%  an 


s-^i  know  immortal  and  imperishable 

Is  the  undying  soul,  the  godly  essence, 

The  spark  divine  that  moves  and  animates 

This  mortal  frame,  this  form  of  earth,  -what  though 

Like  a  frail  vessel  made  of  clay,  containing 

Some  exquisite  perfume,  that  no  lapse  of  years 

Can  weaken  or  destroy,  that  form  itself 

Must  burst  and  break,  and  crumble  into  dust. — 

— And  thy  proud  soul, — O  thou  couldst  prove  to  me 

All  joy,  all  measureless  content,  this  spirit 

May  yet  conceive,  and  grasp,  and  cherish ! — thine, 

Whose  noble  frame,  by  the  great  fire  that  ceaseless 

Burned  on  the  sacred  altar  of  thy  heart, 

Has  feeble  grown  like  to  a  delicate  shell, — 

Perchance  yet  more  imperishable  than 

The  souls  of  thousand  others  born  to  die, — 

— If  that  the  Lord  whose  breath  is  Justice,  thus 

Suffers  aught  difference  in  our  finer  substance! — 

— And  yet  but  through  the  frame  that  perishes, 

But  through  those  outward  signs  that  pass  away, — 

— The  deep  look  in  the  eye,  the  hands  warm  pressure. 

The  voice  that  thrills  with  the  great  life  within, — 

The  eye  that  breaks  in  death,  tlue  hand  grows  sold. 


The  voice  that  dies  upon  the  barren  air, 

— May  the  immortal  soul  be  known,  to  our 
Dull  earth  conception,  our  blind  mortal  senses ! — 
— And  so  I  pray  thee  go  not  from  us  yet, — 
Rest  here  yet  with  us  for  a  little  time, 
Where  we  may  see  and  know  thy  soul ! — Not  yet 
Shroud  thee  in  the  eternal  dark  and  silence 
Of  that  impenetrable,  starless  night, 
Where  we  can  see  no  dawn  and  no  awakening!— 
— Not  yet  launch  forth  on  that  dim,  boundless  sea, 
On  whose  gray  shores  we  stand  and  vainly  strain 
Our  tearful  eyes,  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  them, 
Are  drifting  out  to  mystic,  unknown  regions!  — 
— Rest  with  us  yet  a  time,  where  we  may  hear 
Thy  noble  words,  and  feel  thy  presence  near, — 
The  presence  makes  all  earth-joys  more  complete, 
The  burden  of  our  own  lives  passing  sweet ! — 


HAT  pangs  and  perils  may  encompass  thee, 
And  close  thee  round, — 
Were  thy  great  heart, 

Already  touched  by  grim,  old  Death,  himself, 
That  held  thee  bound, — 
As  surely  as  it  knows  the  God  above, 
My  soul  doth  know, 
Thou  canst  not  die, 

Leaving  the  dark  world  darker  for  thy  going 
Ere  thou  and  I, 

Have  sometime  met  the  friendly  stars  below! — 
— Ay  it  is  written  in  the  smiling  skies, 
We  once  shall  gaze  into  each  others  eyes, 
Shall  clasp  each  others  hand, 
In  some  all-blessed  land, 
Beyond  the  sea! — 

Remorseless  death  turned  from  thee,  paled  and  vanished, 
Before  the  coming  of  my  hastening  feet, — 
For  nor  my  life  nor  thine  shall  be  complete, 
Ere  our  souls'  separate  fire, 
Once  to  the  heavens  may  spire, 
In  one  great  flame  ! — 


214 


^sflVE  me  thy  hand,  in  this  dark  hour!— thou  whom 
All  my  whole  deepest  soul  yearns  to  call  friend ! — 
That  its  dear  living  touch  majr  lend  me  strength 
To  find  my  path  again, — my  way  to  wend 

From  out  this  labyrinth,  this  misty  maze, 
Where  my  bewildered  spirit  dimly  gropes, 
Seeing  no  issue,  where  risen  from  their  graves 
The  ghosts  of  my  long-buried  dreams  and  hopes 

Come  pressing  round  me  in  a  countless  throng, 
Reaching  out  towards  me, — aud  I  recognize 
Familiar  faces  in  the  pallid  shadows  , — 
Yet  now  no  longer  in  their  vacant  eyes 

Is  there  aught  meaning  for  me, — and  shuddering 
I  turn  from  them,  tossed  between  joy  and  tears, 
Gladness  of  my  proud  freedom,  and  mad  yearning, 
For  the  sweet  slavery  of  other  years ! — 


213 


Give  me  thy  hand!  —  that  thrilled  by  the  fine  fire 
That  stirs  thy  pulses,  lifts  thy  noble  frame 
Above  the  ills  of  frail  mortality, 
My  heart  may  kindle  with  a  kindred  flame!  — 

Give  me  thy  hand  !  —  help  me  onward  and  upward, 

Uiito  a  higher  love,  a  purer  light!  — 

Guide  me  till  that  my  erring  feet  perchance, 

May  sometime  climb  thine  own,  proud,  starry  height  !- 


216 


u?W  HAT  may  I  say  to  thc-e? — whose  eloquent  voice 
Shaming  my  own  poor  song,  makes  me  rejoice 
And  grieve,  in  one, — rejoice  that  such  as  tliou 
Si  ill  walk  the  earth,  and  grieve  my  proudest  flight, 
Must  ever  soar  below  thy  greater  height, — 
— Yet  is  joy  fullest,  so  well  love  I  thee  ! — 

— What  may  I  give  to  thee? — who  stirred  in  me 
The  love  of  mankind  and  of  liberty, 
To  new,  triumphant,  and  undying  flame, — 
Who  hast  enriched  me  for  all  coming  time, 
With  the  deep  treasures  of  thy  soul  sublime, 
The  choicest  blossoms  of  thy  noble  art ! — 

— What  may  I  be  to  thee?— who  many  a  day 

Wast  more  to  me,  than  mortal  tongue  can  say, 

Wast  that  gave  strength  to  live,  and  power  to  battle ! — 

— May  I  not  sometime  grow  unto  thy  heart 

A  slight  necessity, — a  needful  part 

That  never  found,  left  thy  life  incomplete? — 

— Help  thy  declining  strength,  and  our  sad  fears, 

With  the  full  vigor  of  my  younger  years, — 

— Not  from  the  richness  of  my  summer  lend 

Aught  to  thy  autumn? — prove, — O  thought  most  sweet  !- 

Sometime  perchance,  thy  well-beloved  friend  ? — 


«uS  then  the  generation  lives  and  moves 

Today  on  the  wide  earth,  a  race  of  pigmies, — 

Are  iii en  so  small  then,  or  am  I  so  great, 

Or  formed  of  clay  is  so  much  finer,  tilled  with 

An  essence  so  much  subtler  than  their  own, — 

— Or  wherefore  docs  my  spirit  wander  'mong  them 

Like  to  a  stranger,— like  an  exile  from 

Some  far-off  region !  ? — Wherefore  does  my  soul 

\Vitli  hot  desire,yearuing  unquenchable, 

Reach  ever  backward  to  the  golden  past, 

To  the  Undying  Dead,  the  Great  Immortal, 

Who  lived  and  loved  and  suffered  long  ago,— 

Feel  itself  more  akin  to  their  mute  shades, 

Than  all  the  hearts  this  hour  pulse  with  warm  life-blood  ?- 


Nay  friend,  forgive  the  sigh,  the  unjust  charge 

Against  the  agL',— unjust  while  thou  yet  livest !  — 

-  I  was  deceived,— not  every  glory,  not 

All  greatness  has  departed  from  the  earth, 

While  God  shall  grant  that  thou  mayst  walk  it !— thou 

Whose  shining  image  sole  'mid  living  men, 

Pales  not  before  the  shades  of  the  great  Dead  !— 

—I  found  thcc,— looked  on  thee,— gave  thee  my  heart, 

Felt  the  warm  pressure  of  thy  living  hand, 

And  knew  my  soul  had  found  a  home  at  last, 

And  was  content  to  live  among  the  living !— 


a  aw  9 


CORNELIUS. 

J'ctais  Men  aime  'Velle,  el  plus  quejamais  son  epoux;  elU  etaig  1't'- 
ptuse  de  lui  avant  son  voyage  en  Italic.  Arrivee  a  Vienne,  die  chef- 
chait  moipteurant,  metis  je  li  nleprisctis. 

L<  VAN  BKETHOYEX,  in  lib  "Litres  de  Conversation," 


The  morning  sun  had  long1  been  up,  and  flooded 

The  world  with  rosy  light,  and  now  a  beam 

Scaling  the  castle- Wall  like  some  bold  lover, 

Stole  through  the  half-drawn  curtains  to  the  room 

That  from  afar  o'erlooked  the  sea's  blue  line, 

And  as  it  struck  the  mirror,  bounded  back, 

Half-frighted  thus  to  see  its  own  bright  immage, 

Crept  onward  then,  more  timid  to  the  bed, 

And  lost  itself  an  instant  'mid  the  ringlets 

That,  like  spun-gold  lay  on  the  snowy  piJlow 

And  clustered  round  the  sleeper's  brew :  then  touched 

Her  eyelids  closed,  and  yet  she  wakened  not, 

But  slumbered  on,  as  in  the  tale  of  old 

The  princess  fair,  who  slept  a  hundred  year, 

And  only  when  the  king  had  kissed  her  lips— 

A  royal  lover  he  indeed,  the  sun!— * 

She  smiled  within  her  dreams,  and  smiling  Woke/ 

O  joyous  dream,  and  yet  more  joyous  waking ! 

And  could  it  be  it  was  not  all  a  dream— 

The  last  sweet  night,  with  all  its  happiness, 

Whose  memory  was  more  golden  than  the  sunshine? 

Could  it  be  true  that  he,  whose  melodies 

Were  wont  to  shake  the  very  hearts  of  men, 

Who  heard  the  glorious  harmonies  of  heaven, 

The  morning-dawn  of  whose  young,  rising  fame 


Flung  open  wide  to  him  the  shining  portals 

Of  palaces  and  courts  through  all  the  land, — 

Had  stooped  in  love  to  her  the  earthborn  child  ? 

O  it  was  bliss  so  measurlessly  deep, 

It  almost  broke  her  heart  like  some  great  sorrow— 

And  with  her  white  arm  pillowed  'ueath  her  head, 

She  lay  and  thought  of  how  it  all  had  been, — 

How  he  had  frowned  and  said,  "Not  here  1  not  now !" 

When  she  hud  asked  that  he  might  play  to  them 

The  tunes  the  gods  had  given  to  him  that  day , 

Then  turned  his  back  and  swiftly  disappeared 

From  out  the  shining  circle  of  the  guests 

That  thronged  the  halls,  and  came  to  grace  the  feast, 

Where  she  had  reigned  the  queen  and  brightest  gem, 

And  wore,  to  please  her  noble  Countess  mother, 

The  gift  Count  Prosper  once  had  brought  for  her, 

The  shimmering  necklace  of  great  precious  pearl, 

A  burning  star  of  diamonds  in  the  midst, 

And  said  that  on  each  pearl  there  hung  his  heart. 

How  that  Count  Prosper's  arm  had  whirled  her  on, 

All  through  the  gay  night,  in  the  airy  dance; 

How  he  had  pledged  her  health  in  sparkling  wine, 

A  secret  meaning  in  his  handsome  eyes; — 

But  how  at  length,  when  all  the  guests  were  gone, 

Count  Prosper,  too,  who  lingered  last  of  all, 

Waved  his  last,  long  farewell,  and  rode  away, — \ 

Her  soul  had  yearned  to  see  Cornelius'  face, 

And  hear  his  magic  touch  upon  the  keys, 

Even  as  the  faint  hart  thirsteth  for  the  spring 

That  sends  the  life-blood  rolling  through  his  veins, 

And  she  had  strayed  into  the  shadowy  park 

To  seek  him,  if  she  wandered  all  the  night, 

Or  to  the  furthest  ends  of  all  the  earth, 

And  found  him  by  tke  gleaning  lily  lake, 


«•   221    # 

That  deep  and  still  lay  in  the  forest's  heart.  — 

And  he  had  long  and  wondering  gazed  at  her, 

Then  said  at  length, — "You,  Countess  Giulia,  here  !" 

And  suddenly  sprang  up  and  seized  her  hand 

With  so  firm  grasp  she  well  nigh  had  cried  out, 

And  drew  her  on  in  breathless,  hurrying  haste 

Back  to  the  castle,  dark  and  silent  now. 

Only  a  moonbeam,  stealing  through  the  window, 

Fell  on  her  throat  and  made  the  diamonds  flash, 

And  he  flung  off  her  hand  from  him,  and  cried — • 

"Put  off  that  trinket  now,  for  love  of  me, 

If  that  may  be,  as  for  the  love  of  him 

You  wore  it  all  the  day!-"    And  she  attempting 

"With  hasty  fingers  to  unclasp  it  swiftly, 

Gave  half-impatiently  so  great  a  pull 

The  slender  thread  was  snapped  that  held  the  pearl, 

And  down  they  rolled  unheeded  and  were  lost 

Within  the  broad,  black  shadows  on  the  floor. 

And  he,  with  half  a  smile,  seized  both  her  hands 

In  his,  for  one  short  instant,  as  he  cried— 

"I  thank  you.  Countess ! "    Then  he  turned  from  her, 

And,  hastening  to  the  opened  instrument, 

His  fingers  woke  the  silent  keys  to  life, 

Breaking  the  voiceless  stillness  of  the  night. 

And  while  she  listened  breathless  to  the  sounds 

That  ebbed  and  flowed  and  sank  away  again, 

Like  a  sea  thundering  on  a  barren  shore, 

With  dancing  sunbeams  on  the  rolling  waves, 

She  knew  that  in  the  throbbing,  passionate  chords 

It  was  his  heart  that  spoke  to  her  of  love. 

And  when  he  ceased,  and  bowed  his  upraised  head, 

She  did  not  speak;  but  when  he  suddenly 

Sprang  up,  and  stood  before  her,  with  a  cry 

She  flung  herself  into  his  willing  arms. — 


8 


If  all  the  the  stars  fell  down  from  out  the  skies 

In  one  gold  shower—  if  it  was  they  who  sung, 

Or  in  the  bush  outside  the  nightingale  ; 

If  the  earth  vanished  from  beneath  their  feet, 

And  they  were  borne  up  through  the  sounding  skies 

Unto  the  shining  throne  of  God,  —  or  aught 

That  happened  after,  she  remembered  not.^- 

So  she  sprang  up  like  some  swift-footed  fawn, 
And  waited  not  until  her  maid  should  come, 
But  tied  the  dainty  slippers  to  her  feet, 
And  threw  the  cloudy  robe  about  her  form, 
And  swept  the  golden  ringlets  from  her  brow, 
Then  drew  the  curtain  from  the  opened  window.— 
The  balmy  air  swept  by,  and  nodding  in, 
Hung  the  white  roses  full  of  sparkling  dew, 
And  breaking  one  to  fasten  in  her  hair, 
Her  eye  swept  o'er  the  landscape  far  around.  — 
How  calm  the  sea  to-day  !     She  scarce  perceived 
One  Wave,  white-crested,  breaking  at  the  crags 
That  jutted  out  above  the  purple  depths.  — 
Where  was  he  now  ?    For  he  was  wont  to  rise, 
Since  that  he  was  their  welcomed,  honored  guest, 
E'en  with  the  morning's  lark,  and  wander  off, 
No  one  knew  whither,  nor  for  how  long  time, 
Perchance  to  find  beside  the  sounding  sea, 
Perchance  amid  the  mountain's  darkest  files, 
The  tunes  that  made  the  angels  laugh  and  weep. 
There,  on  the  left,  gleamed,  just  discernible, 
Count  Prosper's  castle,  and  the  world  would  talk, 
And  wonder  why  he  took  no  pretty  mate 
Unto  his  gilded  nest,  and  why  he  filled 
His  solitary  halls  with  all  the  splendors 
That  art  and  taste  and  untold  wealth  could  dream, 


223 


And  never  yet  had  brought  him  home  a  wife, 

When  e'en  the  proudest  lady  in  the  land 

Had  been  content  to  reign  the  noble  mistress 

O'er  the  estates  and  in  the  heart  of  him 

Who  was  so  young  and  handsome,  and  could  trace 

The  long  line  of  his  shining  ancestry 

Buck  full  three  glorious  centuries  and  more. 

And  there  were  other  whisperings  in  the  air,  — 

That  there  was  one  he  long  had  loved  and  wooed, 

Yet  that  his  suit  but  little  favor  found.  — 

And,  tossing  back  her  head  that,  the  gold  ringlets 

Danced  round  her  brow,  and  from  the  rose  all  dew 

Showered  down  in  shimmering  drops,  she  tripped  away. 


How  flew  they  by,  the  golden  hours  and  days, 
And  sweeter  nights,  when  she  would  early  steal 
Up  to  her  chamber,  waiting  breathless  there 
Till  all  the  house  was  still,  and  then  glide  out 
And  meet  him  waiting  at  the  garden  gate, 
And  roam  with  him  beneath  the  shining  moon, 
Through  fields  and  woods,  and  by  the  sounding  sea, 
He  ofttime  humming  loud  the  tunes  he  said 
He  found  within  the  deepness  of  her  eyes, 
Oft  not  returning  till  the  pale,  gray  dawn 
Crept  upward  in  the  skies  and  quenched  the  stars. 
O  for  such  hours  of  night  she  well  could  bear 
To  have  Count  Prosper  by  her  side  each  day, 
And  see  Cornelius  not  through  all  the  time 
The  sun  moved  onward  in  his  shining  track. 
Though  sometime  in  a  sunny  afternoon, 
The  while  the  Countess  slumbered  for  an  hour. 
And  easily  missed  her  daughter's  company, 
She  slipped  away  and  went  in  search  of  him, 
And  found  him  always,  wheresoe'er  he  wandered, 


224 


Doubting-  not  some  good  angel  led  her  steps.  — 
80  had  they  climbed  together,  one  sweet  day, 
A  beetling  cliff  that  overhung  the  sea, 
And  lost  together  in  sweet  tnlk  and  tunes, 
Had  not  perceived  dark  clouds  were  coming  up, 
That  hid  e'en  now  the  bright  light  of  the  sun, 
And  only  gazing  downward  at  the  waves 
That  muttered  with  low  threatening  far  below, 
And  foaming  broke  against  the  barren  crags, 
Did  ihey  behold  the  tempest  close  at  hand. 
"My  love!  a  storm  is  brewing  right  above 
And  we  are  fur  from  home.     Come  !  let  us  hasten 
To  find  some  roof  to  shelter  thy  loved  head. 
For  me,  I  oft  have  braved  the  angry  skies, 
And  care  not  for  their  scowls." 

"Nor  I,  Cornelius. 

Give  me  protection  in  thy  sheltering  arms, 
Close  to  thy  heart,  what  tempest  should  I  fear? 
What  thou  hast  braved,  let  me  brave  with  thee  now  !" 
And,  even  while  they  spoke,  a  lurid  flash 
Shot  from  the  black  clouds  piled  in  threatening  mass. 
And  a  fierce  gust  cut  sharply  o'er  the  cliff, 
Piping  above  the  thunder's  sudden  roar.  — 
And  so,  his  sheltering  cloak  thrown  round  them  both. 
His  one  arm  clasping  her  beloved  form, 
The  black  clouds  ever  lowering  from  the  skies, 
Until  they  wrapped  them  round  as  with  a  pall, 
That  hid  the  sea  from  sight,  they  stood  and  watched 
The  tempest  growing  louder  and  more  fierce, 
From  moment  unto  moment,  till  it  seemed 
The  earth  was  rent  asunder  in  its  fury. 
And  while  the  forked  blue  lightnings  played  around, 
And  once  a  flash  went  shivering  down  before  them, 
That  clove  the  seething  ocean  to  its  depths, 


And  the  wild  whirlwind  whistled  round  them  both, 
Tossing  her  golden  locks  through  his  dark  hair, 
While  the  cold  drenching  rain  swept  over  them, 
And  they  heard  sometimes,  through  the  thunder's  roll, 
The  roaring  of  the  sea  beneath  their  feet, — 
They  laughed  like  merry  children  at  the  storm, 
And  called  to  him  in  scornful  merriment 
To  do  his  worst. 

"And  what,  love,  if  he  should? 
And  sent  e'en  now  some  swift-winged  flash  to  us, 
That  bore  our  souls  away, — love!  shouldst  thou  fear's" 
"()  !  welcome  life  or  death,  or  heaven  or  hell, 
So  that  I  be  with  thee,  with  thee!"  she  cried. 
"And  what  if,  clasped  within  each  other's  arms, 
We  flung  ourselves  into  the  furious  sea, 
And  left  behind  us  all  the  pangs  of  earth, 
To  be  united  evermore  in  death, 
And  never  parted  through  eternity, — 
Wouldst  thou  have  courage  thus  to  die,  my  love?" 
And  a  strange  light  gleamed  in  his  shining  eyes, 
As  he  bent  over  her  to  read  her  face. 
But  her  lips  paled  not  at  his  passionate  glance, 
As  she  cried  out, — "I  will,  I  will,  e'en  now! — 
Hold  me  but  close  in  thine  embrace,  O  love  ! " 
And  drew  him  forward  to  the  cliff's  sharp  edge. 
"No,  no !  O  my  immortal  love, — to  live, 
To  live,  and  not  to  die,  our  love  was  given, 
God  wills  us  not  to  die  just  yet,  just  yet ! " 
So,  lifting  her  an  instant  in  his  arms, 
He  bore  her  backward  from  the  dangerous  ledge. 
And,  with  her  nestling  closer  to  his  heart, 
Like  some  sweet,  timid  bird,  they  waited  thus 
In  silence  for  the  passing  of  the  storm. 
And  only  once,  as  some  great  sudden  gust 


226 


Swept  by,  he  asked,  —  "Didst  thou  hear  nothing,  love? 

It  seemed  to  me  that  on  the  wind  there  came 

A  distant  cry  for  help  from  out  the  deep  !" 

She  shook  her  head.     "Some  sea-gull's  scream,  perchance, 

Breaking  his  wings  against  the  hurricane." 

"God  help  some,  poor,  unhappy  mariner 

Tossed  in  the  storm!"  he  said,  and  then  was  silent. 

And  so  at  length,  the  tempest's  fury  calmed, 

The  winds  were  lulled,  the  gushing  rain  grew  still, 

The  black  clouds  broke  and  rolled  far  out  to  sea, 

And,  smiling  through  sweet  tears,  the  sun  burst  forth. 

Only  the  ocean  would  not  yet  be  hushed. 

They  heard  its  angry  thunders  on  the  shore, 

As  now  they  left  the  crag,  and,  hand  in  hand, 

Sought  over  rocks  and  stones  a  homeward  path, 

Hastening  their  steps  to  gain  the  Castle  soon, 

Ere  the  dark  night  should  cover  all  the  land. 


"My  daughter,"  said  the  Countess,  towards  eve, 
"Lend  me  your  arm  and  walk  with  me  awhile. 
Yet  not  outside,  but  in  the  large  cool  hall, 
Where  hang  the  portraits  of  your  ancestors." — 
So  they  paced  up  and  down  the  marble  floor, 
Silent  at  first,  the  setting  sun's  red  gleam 
Slanting  through  the  tall  windows  at  each  end. 
Then,  as  her  gaze  glided  along  the  walls 
O'er  all  the  stately  knights  in  glittering  steel, 
Their  trusty  swords  clasped  in  their  daring  hands, 
And  o'er  the  stiff-ruffed  ladies  in  brocade, 
Pride  in  their  eyes  and  on  their  handsome  lips, 
And  kingly  falcons  on  their  slender  fingers, 
And  came  to  one  whose  face  was  turned  away 
Against  the  wall,  as  if  with  shame  and  grief, 
Giulia's  step  halted,  and  she  asked, — "My  mother, 


You  never  yet  have  told  me  why  this  picture 

Alone,  among  all  these,  must  hide  its  face?" 

"Because  alone  among  all  these,  my  daughter," — 

And  as  she  spoke  she  fixed  on  Giulia's  face 

A  glance  so  strange  that  she  cast  down  her  eyes, — 

"The  long  line  in  whose  veins  flows  royal  blood, 

And  who  unsullied  by  a  single  stain, 

Had  kept  their  honor  for  two  centuries, — 

She  brought  disgrace  upon  herself  and  us, 

By  wedding  one  beneath  her  noble  rank. 

Alone  and  burdened  with  her  father's  curse, 

She  fled  from  out  the  Castle  one  dark  night. 

Where  she  has  lived  and  toiled  was  never  known, 

And  only  long  years  after  came  the  message 

That  she  had  died  in  want  and  poverty, 

Her  beauty  faded  and  her  young  heart  broken, 

In  some  far  distant  corner  of  the  earth, 

Spurned  by  all  those  who  once  had  called  her  friend." 

"And  may  I  go  and  see  her  face,  ray  mother?  " 

"I  like  it  none  too  well, — yet  you  may  go, — 

But  let  not  me  behold  it  too  my  daughter !" 

And,  covering  up  her  eyes  she  moved  away, 

While  Giulia  turned  the  picture  from  the  wall.  — 

A  face  like  to  her  own,  with  golden  hair 

Clustering  in  ringlets  round  the  snowy  brow, 

But  O,  about  the  smiling  lips  and  eyes 

A  mournful  look  of  sadness  more  akin 

To  tears  than  laughter,  like  a  prophecy 

Of  all  the  evil  of  the  future  years. 

"Her  beauty  faded,  and  her  young  heart  broken!1'— 

And  loved  not  she,  even  as  her  heart  had  done  ? — 

"But  thou  wast  brave  to  live  through  long,  dark  years, 

Through  toil  and  want,  for  him  thy  soul  had  chosen  J— . 


228 


I  love  thee  !  "  —  And  she  kissed  the  sad,  sweet  lips, 

And  took  the  rose  from  out  her  golden  hair 

To  fasten  on  the  carving  of  the  frame. 

But  the  pale  flower,  half-withered,  hung  its  head  ; 

And  when  she  turned  and  hastened  to  the  Countess, 

She  saw  it  drop  upon  the  floor  below. 

"Ah,  yes,  thus  heaven  deals  justly  with  all  those 

Who  strive  or  higher  or  lower  than  is  their  sphere. 

For  'tis  our  duty,  like  to  those  below  us, 

To  rest  where  God  has  placed  us  ;  none  may  slight, 

Believe  me,  child,  unpunished,  Nature's  laws!" 

The  Countess  said,  and  so  they  left  the  hall. 


No  walk  to-night  beneath  the  silver  moon 
Nor  yet  to-morrow,  nor  the  clay  next  that, 
For  the  bright  heavens,  as  if  in  angriness 
They  smiled  so  soon,  grew  full  of  storm  again, 
And  poured  incessant  rain  from  the  gray  clouds 
That  heavily  hung  above  the  dripping  earth. 
And  Ginlia  wondered  how  she  learned  so  soon 
To  live  without  that  one  sweet  custom,  once 
The  sum  of  happiness  of  all  her  days, 
Wondered  she  learned  to  live  without  his  kiss 
Sometimes  upon  her  lips,  and  his  arm  round  her. 
Wondered  she  learned  so  soon  to  miss  his  face, 
And  sit  with  patience  at  her  mother's  side, 
Through  all  the  long  hours  of  the  day  and  eve, 
And  why  she  shrank,  half-timid  from  his  glance, 
When  in  the  halls  somewhere  they  chanced  to  meet, 
And  he,  without  a  word,  fixed  his  deep  eyes 
Intent  upon  her,  and  then  passed  her  by. 


But  yet  at  length  the  heavens  grew  bright  again, 
And  with  the  sun  appeared  Count  Prosper,  too, 


229 


Who  many  a  day  was  seen  not  at  the  Hall, 

And  now  rode  o'er  in  haste  to  ask  the  ladies 

To  grace  the  shining  feast  he  was  to  give 

In  honor  of  his  fortunate  escape, 

When  in  the  last  great  storm  he  wellnigh  perished. 

His  pleasure-boat  upturned,  his  men  were  drowned, 

And  he  but  gained  the  land  and  saved  his  life 

As  by  a  marvel. 

And  they  promised  both, 

Much  wondering  at  the  adventure  that  he  told, 
The  Countess  loudly  praising  the  good  issue. 


"So  what  you  saw  has  pleased  you,  Countess  Giulia?" 

Count  Prosper  asked,  when,  at  the  early  eve, 

The  proud  feast  over  at  his  royal  Hall, 

They  galloped  homeward,  he  and  she  alone, 

Behind  the  Countess'  coach  that  went  before, 

And  now  the  swift-winged  paces  of  their  steeds 

Slackened  an  instant  to  more  easy  trot. 

"So  much,  Count  Prosper,  I  could  think  of  naught 

Could  make  more  perfect  your  most  lordly  mansion." 

"Ah,  I  am  much  beholden  for  your  praise! 

And  yet  you  are  mistaken,  Countess  Giulia ; 

One  thing  was  wanting,  and  that  one  so  precious, 

That  were  my  floors  inlaid  with  gold  and  pearl 

Yet  would  I  be  but  poor  without  that  gem! — 

Missed  you  not  something  at  the  glittering  board?" 

And  from  his  eyes  there  shot  a  look  on  her 

Before  whose  fire  she  turned  her  head  away. 

— "Cornelius !"  cried  she,  and  stretched  out  her  hands, 

As  suddenly  she  saw  him  in  the  path 

That  ran  beside  the  highway  where  they  rode, 

Lost  in  deep  thought,  his  eyes  upon  the  ground. — 

"Countess,  I  do  beseech  you,  for  this  once 


Let  him  go  by  unheeded ! "  cried  the  Count, 

In  passionate  whisper, — ''See,  he  hears  you  not!" 

And  with  this  seized  her  bridle. 

And  she  yielded, 

And  flew  with  him  full  gallop  down  the  road. 
And  so  Cornelius,  looking  up  at  length, 
At  the  loud  clatter  of  the  horses'  hoofs, 
Saw  but  a  distant  cloud  of  rolling  dust, 
That  in  the  deepening  twilight  disappeared. 

They  said  that  he  would  die,  the  good  old  man, 

Who  twenty  years  and  more  had  played  the  organ 

Each  Sabbath,  in  the  little  village  church, 

And  now  lay  suffering  on  a  bed  of  pain, 

And  left  the  holy  service  incomplete 

Without  the  music  of  his  skillful  hands. 

But,  hearing  of  the  need,  the  Countess  begged 

Cornelius  would  consent  to  take  his  place, 

For  once  or  twice,  till  the  old  man  grew  well, 

And  he  most  willing,  promised  he  would  come. 


Down  to  the  village  had  ihey  gone  at  eve, — 
The  self-same  Sabbath  he  had  played  in  church, 
Until  the  low  roof  seemed  to  stretch  and  swell 
A  mighty  dome,  that  touched  the  very  stars, 
Until  the  dim  eyes  of  old  men  and  women, 
That  often  nodded  through  the  lengthy  sermon, 
Sparkled  again  as  in  years  lone:  gone  by, 
And  the  bright  eyes  of  merry  little  children 
Grew  serious  with  a  look  of  holy  awe, 
As  unawares  they  folded  their  small  hands, 
And  over  cheeks  flushed  with  the  hope  of  youth, 
Or  wrinkled  with  old  age  and  resignation, 
The  silent,  glistening  tear  stole  down  unheeded, 


«:    231    ® 

And  one  old  man  said,  as  he  passed  the  door, 
His  face  all  radiant,  as  with  some  great  joy, — 
"Yes,  yes,  good  neighbor,  you  are  right;  some  angel 
Came  down  from  heaven  to  play  for  us  to-day !"- 
— She  who  was  called  the  angel  of  the  sick, 
To  take  some  strengthening  cordial  to  the  patient, 
And  he  to  know  the  good  old  man,  they  said 
Wished  much  to  see  him  once  before  he  died. 
Yet  almost  mutely  walked  they  side  by- side, 
It  was  so  long  since  they  had  talked  together ! 
Nor  scarcely  glanced  into  each  other's  face, 
It  was  so  long  since  last  their  eyes  had  met! — 
And  twilight  gathered  as  they  reached  the  hut. 
"Come  in !"  a  faint  voice  cried,  upon  their  knock. 
And  so  they  entered  on  the  small,  low,  room, 
Where,  in  the  corner,  stood  a  narrow  bed, 
On  which  the  old  man  lay,  and,  by  the  wall, 
A  strange  old  spinet,  with  small,  yellow  keys, 
And  round  about,  upon  the  floor  and  chairs, 
Lay  scattered  leaves  of  music. 

"O,  my  son! " 

Cried  the  old  man,  and  let  go  Giulia's  hand 
To  seize  Cornelius',  and  to  hold  it  fast. — 
"And  was  it  you  who  played  this  morn  at  church  ? 
Mine  ears  are  aged,  yet  through  the  opened  window 
Came,  now-and-then,  a  snatch  of  such  sweet  tune 
I  knew  not  were  the  sounds  from  earth  or  heaven, 
And  thought  I  heard  the  angels  calling  me ! — 
Piny  now  for  me, — it  is  so  long  a  time 
I  have  not  heard  what  makes  my  soul  rejoice !  " — 
And,  lying  back  upon  the  pillow,  weary 
With  so  long  speech,  he  pointed  to  the  spinet, 
And  willingly  Cornelius  hastened  there. — 
And  Giulia,  sitting  by  the  lowely  bed, 


232 


Saw  through  the  dusk  the  old  man's  face  grow  bright, 

As  the  first  sounds  struck  on  his  eager  ear, 

And  his  aged,  withered  hands,  clasped  as  in  prayer, 

Tremble  as  with  some  power  they  too  had  known, 

And  heard  through  all  the  sounds  that  filled  the  room, 

Breaking  as  with  a  light  the  darkness  round, 

That  spoke  as  of  a  soul  that  wrestled  vainly 

With  God  and  heaven,  and  the  eternal  fates, 

Yet  in  the  greatness  of  its  power  divine 

Would  conquer  sin  and  death,  and  storm  the  skies, 

And  burst  the  very  gates  of  hell  itself.  — 

His  breath  came  swift,  as  though  his  heart  beat  fast. 

And  when  the  last  sounds  died  upon  the  air, 

The  old  man  rose  and  stretched  his  trembling  arms 

And  cried,  in  loud,  firm  voice, 

"My  son  !  my  son  ! 

I  see  a  flaming  halo  round  thy  head!  — 
The  gods  have  kissed  thy  brow,  and  from  thee  streams 
A  shining  light  that  is  to  fill  the  world! 
I  see  it  bursting  on  my  dying  sight, 
The  glorious  future,  where  thou  rulest  a  king  !  — 
Come  to  me!  Let  me  fold  thee  in  my  arms,  — 
Me,  the  unworthy  !  and  lie  down  to  die 
Happier  with  touching  of  thy  blessed  hands!" 

And  Giulia  saw  how  in  a  close  embrace 
They  clasped  each  other,   he,  the  weak  and  old, 
Twining,  like  some  frail  tendril  round  an  oak, 
About  the  young  and  strong. 

And  then  Cornelius 

Sat  holding  long  the  withered  hand  in  his, 
And  no  one  spoke,  until  the  old  man  said,  — 
"My  son,  but  knowest  thou  that  upon  the  brows 
Of  those  who  wear  the  Saviour's  shining  halo, 


233 


There  also  rests  the  Saviour's  crown  of  thorn?  — 
That  those  who  serve  the  immortal  gods  shall  know 
All  pangs  and  pains  and  sorrows  of  the  earth, 
That  make  life  bitter  like  to  gall  and  wormwood  ? 
That  cold  and  hunger,  want  and  thirst,  and  need, 
Dwell  with  them  'neath  the  low  roofs  of  their  huts?"  — 

"I  know  it,  father  !  " 

"Even  I,  my  son, 

Who,  in  my  noblest  efforts,  ne'er  was  worthy 
To  kneel  before  the  shadow  of  thy  feet, 
Have  known  the  heavy  burden  of  the  cross, 
And  what  misfortune  shall  the  jealous  gods 
Reserve  for  him  whom  they  gave  half  their  power? 
•  I  had  once  a  beloved  wife  and  child,  — 
Perchance  he  might  have  now  been  like  to  thee, 
Had  not  God  taken  him  away  from  us 
Just  when  his  child-lips  learned  to  speak  our  name;  — 
And  she  stayed  with  me  but  a  few  short  weeks 
After  our  little  child  was  gone  from  us. 
She  said  she  heard  him  call  to  her  from  heaven, 
And  so  her  heart  broke,  her  brave,  faithful  heart, 
That  weathered  with  me  all  the  storms  of  life, 
And  she  has  left  me  all  alone  on  earth. 
But  I  shall  see  them  soon  now,  wife  and  child, 
I  know  I  go  to  them  ere  many  a  day, 
And  all  this  now  is  more  than  thirty  year."  — 
What  more  he  said  Giulia  remembered  not, 
But  in  her  ear,  like  snatches  of  a  tune 
She  could  not  banish,  ever  hummed  the  words, 
"He  had  once  a  beloved  wife  and  child  !  " 
Perchance  she,  too  had  once  been  beautiful, 
But,  like  a  blossom  by  the  storm  destroyed, 
Died  after  years  of  toil  and  poverty, 


*    234    ® 

"Her  beauty  faded  and  her  young  heart  broken  !"- 

And  should  she  too  grow  like  her?  And  far  out 

In  the  dim  future  she  beheld  herself 

A  sorrowful,  pale  woman,  bent  with  age 

Before  her  time,  and  clustering  round  her  knees 

A  band  of  little  children ;  on  their  faces 

The  shadow  of  the  pain  and  want  that  dwell 

Beneath  the  hut  poor,  low  and  dark  like  this, 

The  shadow  he,  from  off  whose  godly  brow 

Deep  lines  of  care  had  worn  the  kiss  divine, 

Had  not  the  power  to  banish  any  more 

With  even  his  sweetest  strains.    Forevermore 

Against  her  closed  the  shining  circles  all, 

Where  she  had  reigned  the  queen  and  brightest  gem, 

Shunned  by  all  tho=e  who  once  had  called  her  friend, 

Her  mother  dead,  perchance  gone  to  her  grave 

Breathing  a  curse  against  her  only  child. — 

And  was  this  all  ? — these  narrow,  barren  walls, 

That  seemed  to  close  her  round  as  in  a  tomb, 

So  weary  life,  with  this  its  deepest  joy, 

To  be  so  near  the  lonely  journey's  end, — 

All  that  was  gained  by  years  of  toil  and  strife? 

And  from  the  darkness  into  which  she  gazed 

With  widely  opened  eyes,  rose  up  before  her 

Count  Prospers  handsome  face  and  smiling  lips, 

And  round  about  her  sunk  away  the  hut, 

And  stretching  wide  she  saw  his  lofty  Halls, 

With  light  and  fragrance  filled,  and  shining  splendors. 


Far  was  the  night  worn  when  at  length  they  closed 
The  old  man's  door  and  turned  their  steps  toward  home. 
Mute  as  they  came  they  walked.     The  path  was  dark  ; 
No  glow-worm  Simmered  through  the  sultry  air, 


No  cricket  chirped  beside  the  lonely  road, 
Silence  and  dusky  twilight  everywhere, 
Only  the  stars  sent  feeble  glimmer  down,  . 
And  through  the  stunted  willows  at  the  brook 
The  sighing  wind  crept,  stirring  their  black  leaves, 
That  shuddered  'neath  his  breath,  and,  far  away, 
Some  desolate  dog  barked  faintly  through  the  night. — 
Were  they  themselves  not  shadows,  steplessly 
Gliding  together  through  the  world  of  shadows? 
Had  they  not  died  long,  long  ago,  above, 
And  were  they  not  their  dim,  mute  souls  alone 
Tiiat  walked  together  now  ? — 

And,  thinking  it, 

Giulia  crept  shivering  closer  to  his  side. 
And  he  threw  one  arm  round  her,  as  he  said, 
All  his  heart  rising  to  his  lips, — 

"O  love ! 

It  is  so  long  since  I  have  held  thee  thus, 
As  I  would  hold  thee  evermore  through  life, 
And  through  eternity  beyond  the  grave!  " 
And  when  she  spoke  not,  said  again, — 

"My  love, 

And  didst  thou  hear  the  old  man's  words  and  heed  them  ? 
That  those  who  serve  the  immortal  gods  shall  know 
All  pangs  and  pains  and  sorrows  of  the  earth, 
That  make  life  bitter  like  to  gall  and  wormwood? 
That  cold  and  hunger,  want  and  thirst,  and  need, 
Dwell  with  them  'neath  the  low  roof  of  their  hut  ? 
And  dost  thou  know  the  fate  of  those  who  link 
Their  lives  to  him  who  bears  the  Saviour's  cross  ? — 
That  in  the  far,  dim  future  years  before  us, 
Naught  but  the  spirit  of  God  may  flash  and  flame 
Within  our  humble  home,  and  comfort  us, 
Naught  cheer  us  but  our  great,  undying  love, 


Through  all  the  long  dark  winter  nights  to  come! — 
Question  thy  heart  twice  ere  thou  answerest  me, — 
Woulclst  thou  have  courage  thus  to  live,  my  love?" 
— And  in  the  silence  heard  her  heart  throb  loud, 
And  waited  till  she  might  have  questioned  it 
A  hundred  times,  and  yet  no  answer  came  ; 
Then  asked  again,  his  eyes  bent  on  her  face, 
He  could  not  see  for  all  the  darkness  round, — 
"My  love,  wilt  thou  not  speak  one  single  word?" 
— And  yet  she  answered  not,  and  yet  once  more 
He  questioned  her  and  yet  her  lips  were  mute. — 
And,  hastening  on,  she  slowly  felt  his  arm 
Unloose  its  trembling  clasp  about  her  form, 
And,  as  they  gained  she  Hall,  he  pushed  her  from  him, 
And  by  the  light  that  streamed  from  out  the  windows. 
She  saw  the  deadly  pallor  on  his  face, 
As  he  the  tirst  to  speak,  said,— 

"Countess  Giulia, 

Let  us  be  parted  even  now  and  here, 
Never,  so  God  wills,  more  to  meet  on  earth! 
Long  eie  the  morn  I  shall  be  far  from  here, 
And  pray  our  paths  may  never  cross  again!" 
Then  swiftly  turned  and  disappeared. 

"Farewell!" 

She  cried,  and  stretched  her  trembling  hands,  her  voice 
Broken  in  sudden  tears,  — 

"And  goest  thou  thus, 

Without  one  kindly  word   of  sweet  farewell  ? 
O,  by  the  golden  memories  of  our  love, 
And  by  the  cruel  fate  that  parted  us, 
Speak  one  more  word,— return  one  instant  more!" — 
But,  as  she  waited  breathless  in  the  dark, 
She  caught  no  sound  except  the  moaning  wind 
That  shook  the  silent  trees  above  her  head. 


237 


The  organist  had  died  the  self-same  night, 
The  stranger  who  had  played  for  him  in  church 
Had  been  to  see  him.     For  some  villager 
Who  passed  there  near  the  morn  had  heard  a  cry 
Come  from  the  lonely  hut,  and  from  the  roof 
Saw  a  pale  light  rise  upward  to  the  sky, 
And,  half-affrighted,  hurried  quickly  by; 
And  in  the  morning  they  had  found  him  dead, 
A  radiant  smile  upon  his  wrinkled  face. 
And  many  wept  to  see  the  good  old  man 
Borne  cold  and  lifeless  to  the  little  church 
That  had  so  oft  resounded  with  h:s  music.  — 
And  yet  ere  long  all  mournful  tears  were  dried, 
And  none  remembered  more  his  lonely  grave 
In  some  dark  corner  of  the  village  churchyard, 
Where  they  had  buried  him.  — 

And  for  three  Sabbaths 

All  the  whole  village  flocked  to  church,  to  hear 
The  bans  of  Countess  Giulia  and  Count  Prosper, 
Whose  wedding  feast  made  all  the  village  glad. 
And  when  they  stood  together  at  the  altar, 
That  had  been  hung  all  round  with  fairest  flowers, 
A  look  of  joy  and  pride  was  in  all  eyes, 
And  it  was  whispered  round  among  the  throng. 
That  for  the  distance  of  a  hundred  mile, 
And  in  the  memory  of  the  oldest  people, 
So  handsome  couple  was  not  seen  again. 
Even  the  Countess  smiled  most  graciousty 
On  all  who  humbly  made  her  their  salute.  — 
Only  the  bride  stood  with  hrr  eyes  cast  down, 
And  whiter  thnn  the  blossoms  in  her  hair, 
And  pledged  her  faith  so  faintly  only  those 
Who  stood  the  nearest  heard  her  spoken  word. 
And  'mid  the  throne  of  servants  from  the  Castle, 


©   238    * 

Old. Martin,  who  each  night  must  make  the  round 
To  see  that  all  was  well  about  the  Hall, 
Shook  his  white  head  and  dried  his  eyes  in  secret, 
Looking  at  his  young'  mistress  and  remembering 
Howr  late  last  night,  in  some  lone  corridor, 
He  saw  the  phantom  lady,  robed  in  white, 
Was  said  to  walk  at  midnight  through  the  halls 
When  some  great  evil  hung  above  the  house, 
And  feared  half  to  approach  her,  yet  took  heart, 
Thinking  it  ill  became  his  old  white  head 
To  dread  a  specter. 

So  drew  near  and  saw 
Twas  Countess  Giu'.ia  gliding  to  and  fro, 
Her  gold  hair  flying  round  her  pallid  face, 
Weeping  so  bitterly  it  might  have  touched 
A.  very  stone,  and  wringing  her  white  hands. 
And  when  she  saw  him  coming,  suddenly 
She  flung  her  arms  about  his  neck  and  cried, 
"O  Martin,  Martin,  would  that  I  were  dead!" — 
Then  raised  her  head  and  whispered  breathlessly, 
"Say  not  you  saw  me  here ! "    and  slipped  away, 
And  left  him  wondering. 

And,  remembering  all, 

Old  Martin's  heart  would  not  grow  young  nor  gay, 
In  all  the  pomp  and  splendor  of  the  feast, 
That  lasted  three  whole  merry,  noisy  days, 
Nor  when  Count  Prosper  and  his  sweet,  pale  bride, 
Went  on  their  journey  to  some  distant  land 
Beyond  the  mountains,  where,  the  people  said, 
The  sun  shone  ever  in  the  deep  blue  sky. 


Years  vanished,  and  the  glorious  promise  made 
E'en  by  the  dawn  of  his  young,  rising  fame, 
Had  long  burst  into  radiant,  shining  day. 


239 


And,  wandering  'mid  the  busy  streets  at  noon, 

Or  nightly  'neuth  the  solitary  stars, 

His  tunes  were  wafted  by  him  on  each  breeze 

Out  from  rich  palaces,  where  delicate  hands 

Applauded  loudly,  from  the  lonely  hut 

Of  some  poor  laborer,  singing  at  his  work, 

Unheard  of  all  but  God. 

And  turning  homeward, 

Where  no  sweet  wife  made  bright  the  cheerless  hearth 
And  welcomed  him  with  smiling  lips  and  eyes, 
And  no  sweet  child  sprang  to  his  empty  arms, 
He  sat  and  played  through  all  the  swift-winged  hours. 
And  as  his  soul  rose  upward  on  the  sounds, 
And  grew  in  godlike  strength  and  heavenly  power, 
Until  it  burst  all  fetters  of  the  earth 
And  cast  behind  all  pain  and  heaviness, 
From  out  the  deepness  of  his  soul  he  cried,  — 
".My  God,  my  God,  I  see  thy  face  divine! 
Why  should  I  miss  the  eyes  of  wife  and  child!" 
Yet  even  as  he  said  it  felt  a  pang 
Go  through  his  heart,  and  covered  up  his  face. 


The  drifting  snow  whirled  through  the  silent  streets, 
Darkei.ed  with  winter  clouds  and  falling  twilight, 
When  from  his  step  passed  some  poor  woman,  happy 
To  bring  her  little  OIKS  at  length  the  bread 
Sl.e  vainly  strove  to  earn  for  them  all  day, 
And  blessing  him  that  gave  the  means,  and  thinking 
I  low  anxiously  they  waited  for  her  coining, 
She  hastened  forward,  but  half-marveling  stopped 
To  hear  a  voice  call  from  some  noble  carriage 
That  halted  at  his  door.     From  out  the  window 
There  leaned  a  lady  beckoning  with  her  hand, 
Her  young  fa^e  beautiful,  but  deadly  white 


Beneath  its  hood  of  precious  furs. 

"Good  woman," 

She  sweetly  asked,  "where  have  you  been  just  now?  " 
•'Dear  lady,  with  the  kindly  gentleman 
Plays  such  fine  tune?,  and  always  helps  the  poor." 
"Doth  he ''.  So  he  is  good  and  pitiful  "i " 
"Ah  yes,  dear  lady !  O,  his  heart  is  wide 
For  all  the  sorrowing  and  unfortunate. 
Lord  bless  him  for  it ! " 

"O,  my  God,  be  thanked  ! " 
And  the  poor  woman  saw  the  lady's  eyes, 
She  marvelled  looked  so  dim,  as  with  much  weeping, 
Like  those  of  women  poorer  e'en  than  she, 
Whose  huts  were  filled  with  misery  and  sickness, — 
Kindle  with  sudden  light. 

"Ah !  thanks  to  you, 

Good  woman,  for  your  news:  and  here,  take  this, 
And  buy  some  present  for  your  little  children, 
Are  you  so  Irippy  as  to  be  a  mother!" 
And  saying  it,  she  dropped  a  heavy  purse 
Into  the  outstretched  hand. 

Then  waved  her  off, 

Refusing  all  IILT  thanks.     And  while  the  woman 
Went  on  her  way  rejoicing,  she  ascended, 
With  trembling  feet,  the  stairs,  with  trembling  hand 
Knocked  at  his  door,  and  heard  him  bid  her  enter ; 
But  felt  her  heart  stand  still  before  the  voice 
Not  heard  so  long,  and  yet  so  well-known  once, 
And  paused  a  moaient,  gathering  all  her  strength, — 
Then  opened  and  came  in. 

He  sat  at  work, 

And  raised  his  eyes  not  from  it  to  her  face, 
But  only  asked,  "Who  is  it?"  and  she  said, 
"A  beggar.  I  have  met  one  at  your  door 


241 


Who  said  you  gave  her  alms,  —  so  I  crime  too." 

He  looked  up  quickly,  wondering  at  the  sound 

Of  the  strange  voice,  that  quivered  as  with  heart-throbs, 

And,  growing  fainter,  stopped  then  suddenly, 

As  lacking  power  to  speak  another  word. 

And  shrinking  back,  like  to  a  timid  fawn, 

Before  the  glance  that  saw  yet  knew  her  not, 

She  stretched  her  hands  to  him  with  sudden  tears, 

And  cried, 

"Cornelius  is  she  then  so  changed, 
So  very  changed  thou  dost  not  know  her  more  ; 
She  who  was  once  thine  own  beloved,  thy  Giulia  ?  " 

He  sprang  up,  fronting  her,  and  for  an  instant, 
Seized  both  her  hands  in  his,  as  long  ago 
Had  sometimes  been  his  wont  in  golden  hours, 
While  o'er  his  face  there  flashed  a  joyous  light.  — 
Then  rapidly  it  faded  ;  he  let  go 
Her  clinging  hands,  and  sadly  shook  his  head. 
"Ah,  no!"  he  said,  "you  are  not  she  I  loved  ! 
For  my  sweet  love,  my  Giulia,  golden-haired, 
Died  long,  long  years  ago  !  " 

And  then  he  asked,  — 

"What  is  it  brings  the  Countess  Prosper  here?" 
"Cornelius!"  cried  she,  and  her  faltering  voice, 
Broken  in  sobs,  grew  strong  with  agony, 
"And  is  the  love  you  bore  me  once  so  dead 
You  have  no  other  greeting  for  me  now, 
When  after  long,  long  years,  we  meet  again  ? 
Believe  me,  O,  believe  me,  I  am  Giulia, 
She  whom  you  loved,  the  golden-haired  !  See  here!  " 
And  drawing  down  her  hood  she  had  forgotten 
That  pain  and  grief  had  bleached  the  golden  hair 
Before  its  time,  and  stripped  it  of  all  beauty. 


And  he  half-pitying  gazed,  to  see  the  ringlets 

Tliat  once  like  gold  threads  fluttered  round  her  brow, 

Xo\v  smoothed  away  in  long,  gray,  silver  str.inds 
About  the  pallid  face,  but  did  not  speak. 
And  then  she  cried  to  him  again, 

"Cornelius ! 

O  will  you  see  me  perish  at  thy  feet, 
And  speak  not  one  kind  word  before  I  die? 
O,  with  the  hope  to  see  thy  face  again, 
I  kept  my  heart  alive  when  it  was  breaking, 
I  steadied  up  my  weary,  aching  feet. 
That  they  might  bear  me  till  I  reached  thy  door! 
O,  have  they  vanished  all  from  out  thy  hear', 
The  golden  memories  of  our  happy  love? 
The  night  I  found  thee  bjr  the  lily-lake. 
When  first  our  love  was  known  unto  us  both, 
The  day  we  stood  upon  the  beetling  cliff, 
And  watched  the  storm  that  seemed  to  shake  the  world, 
Our  wanderings  'ne-ith  the  joyous,  silver  moon, 
Oft  not  returning  till  the  early  1  \  ,'  i .  "  — 
"Go  on,"  he  said,  when  suddenly  she  stopped ; 
"I  do  remember  all, — and  then  the  night 
We  walked  together  from  the  old  man's  hut, 
And  parted  at  the  Castle!"     And  his  brow 
(J-rew  darker  than  the  gloomy,  winter  sky. 

Yet,  when  she  with  a  moan  like  to  a  cry, 

Clasped  both  her  hands  befjre  her  tear-stained  face, 

He  -aid  again,  and  now  his  voice  was  mild, — 

"But  all  these  things  are  of  the  long  gone-by ; 

Why  call  up  now  the  specters  of  the  past, 

That  long  lay  buried  in  the  dust  of  years? 

What  may  be  spoken  now  to  make  undone 

Wliat  then  was  uttered?  What  shall  now  make  whole 


•8-   243    ® 

Tlie  broken  circle  of  your  life,— find  mine?" 
"One  word  from  tlicc!  S;vy  but  thou  lovest  me  yet !' 
She  cried  and  flung  herself  before  his  feet. 
Clasping  his  kne?s;  "and  all  may  yet  be  well ! 

0  haclst  thou  known  the  pain  and  agony 

That  made  life  bitter  like  to  gall  and  wormwood, 
Through  all  these  weary  year?,  from  clay  to  day, 
Thou  woulclst  not  now  recall  what  haunts  my  days 
And  peaceful  nights,  like  to  some  fearful  specter! 
in  our  proud  palace,  ncath  bright  Southern  skies, 

1  sat  and  shivered  as  in  winter  blasts, 
Before  our  shining,  richly-laden  board, 

I  sat  and  hungered  like  some  starving  child. 
My  heart  was  dying  for  the  warm  hearth-fire 
In  that  low  hut  thou  once  hast  told  me  of,— 
Was  dying  for  the  sunshine  of  thy  face, 
For  one  sweet  sound  from  thy  beloved  voice, 
But  take  me  now  !  1  will  go  with  thee  now, 
And  welcome  pain  and  need,  and  death  and  hell. 
To  be  thy  wife,  —thy  servant ! " 

"Countess  Giulia! 

Have  you  forgotten  that  you  gave  your  life 
Unto  another  ?  That  it  ill  becomes 
For  you  to  speak,  or  me  to  hear  such  words  ?  " 

"O  I  will  leave  him,  Avhom  my  hand  was  given, 
But  ne'er  my  heart,  and  who  loves  me  no  more, 
And  follow  thee  !  or  if  thou  speak'st  the  word, 
I  will  go  back,  and  be  a  p'ltient  wife 
To  him  whose  sight  is  hateful  to  mine  eyes  ! 
But  say  thou  lovest  me  with  Irit  a  spark 
Of  that  great  fire  that  once  was  ns  the  sun, 
By  which  we  numbered  all  our  joyous  days! 
O  thou,  whose  heart  is  wide  for  r.ll  misfortune, 


244 


Wliose  do:>r  none  leave  with  hunger  and  with  thirst, 
Deny  not  me,  the  poorest  of  the  poor 
That  ever  yet  have  pleaded  rJ  thy  feet, 
Tiie  one  small  grain  of  comfort  that  I  crave; 
Say  by  one  single  word  thou  Invest  me  yet!" 

He  shook  his  head. 

"I  cannot,  Countess  Giulia, 
I  cannot,  by  the  living,  truthful  God  ! 
Kneel  not  to  hi.n  who  is  so  po:>i  himself 
That  he  lias  naught  to  grant!     Move  not  my  heart, 
Lest  something  stirring  in  its  inmost  depths, 
Tempt  me  to  say  how  much  I  pity  thee!  — 
By  the  dim  shadow  of  our  bygone  love, 
Spare  thee  and  me  from  this!  Rise  up!  " 

And  broken 

Like  some  f.iir  blossom  by  the  storm  destroyed, 
She  rose  and  turned  her  footsteps  to  the  door; 
Yet  when  it  closed  behind  her,  p:uised  a  moment, 
Lest  he  might  call  her  back.  — 

But  waiting  breathless, 

She  caught  no  sound  except  the  moaning  wind, 
Tint  shivering  wandered  through  the  wintry  streets.— 


So  their  two  lives  moved  onward,  like  two  stars 
Distant  and  far  apart.     Hers  with  dim  light, 
Like  those  whose  rays  still  tremble  down  to  us, 
When  ages  back  th?  star  has  long  been  quenched — 
His  in  the  shining  splendor  that  shall  deepen 
Through  all  the  coming  centuries  of  time. 


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